The director of the Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain Chair for Just Peace at the Mediterranean University in Albania, Professor Dr. Arben Cici, revealed its upcoming activities scheduled to commence in early October 2023, based on the memorandum of understanding signed between the Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain Cultural Foundation and the university.

         In this regard, Professor Dr. Arben Cici expressed his appreciation for the outcomes of the first committee meeting, during which the Chair's Director was appointed, and the activity plan for the chair during the academic year 2022-2023 was approved.

         In a press statement, Dr. Arben expressed his admiration for the achievements of the chair, stating, "The chair has successfully achieved all the objectives that were set in the previous academic year 2022-2023, and we have great confidence in advancing further in the next academic year 2023-2024. On this occasion, I would like to thank the Chair's Committee Chairman and the President of the Mediterranean University in Albania, Professor Dr. Anastas Angjeli, as well as all members of this committee, for their strong support of our activities. I extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to our brothers at the Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain Cultural Foundation for their support, cooperation, and encouragement of all academic activities at the university this year."

Professional Analysis:

         Dr. Arben outlined the highlights of the achievements that have been realized, stating, "A dedicated space on the university's official website has been allocated to document all chair activities. Furthermore, a dedicated LinkedIn page has been created for the chair, and the chair's presence on social media platforms in both English and Albanian languages has been established."

         He continued, "Furthermore, the 'Culture of Just Peace' curriculum has been integrated into the university's Master's program as a mandatory course titled 'Human Rights and Culture for Just Peace.' This course consists of 6 credit units during the second semester (March 2023 - June 2023). A highly professional analysis was published in Albanian newspapers in both Albanian and English languages, titled 'Culture for Peace for the Security of Future Generations.' This analysis discussed the curriculum of the Abdullaziz Saud Albabtain Cultural Foundation, the importance of teaching the culture of peace, and the opening of the chair in Albania and its mission."

Open Lecture:

         The director of the Abdullaziz Saud Albabtain Chair for Just Peace highlighted the open lecture given by Professor Ermir Gjinishi. He is a former graduate in the fields of Arabic language, literature, and theology from the University of Tripoli in Libya. He has been invited as a lecturer in various conferences both within and outside Albania. Gjinishi focused his lecture on the importance of understanding the history of the Mediterranean region and the Arab world, as well as the Arabic language and culture, and their impact on the populations from the northern shores of the Mediterranean Sea to Central Europe.

Justice and Peace:

         In addition, there was a lecture on justice and just peace in the Republic of Kosovo on the fifteenth anniversary of Kosovo's independence. The lecture was delivered by Rudina Jasini, a specialized lawyer in international human rights law, and a lecturer in both international criminal law and human rights law.

         For the first time, the Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain Chair for Just Peace at the Mediterranean University of Albania organized an "Arab Culture Day" at the university. This event coincided with the "World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development," celebrated by UNESCO on the 21st of May each year. The guest of honor for the Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain Chair for Just Peace on this occasion was Hanaa Al-Shawwa, Ambassador of the State of Palestine to the Republic of Albania. She delivered an open lecture on the history of Palestine and commemorated the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Nakba at the United Nations headquarters in New York. She also spoke about the importance of achieving a just peace in Palestine and the entire Mediterranean region.

Distinguished Relations:

         The Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain Chair for Just Peace at the Mediterranean University in Albania witnessed a range of activities, including a meeting between the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for European Affairs at the Albanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Artemis Malo, and the Chair's Director, Dr. Arben Cici. Additionally, the Chair's management invited Dr. Faisal Al-Mesillem, the Ambassador of Kuwait to Albania, who praised the excellent relations between the two countries and expressed his readiness to enhance academic and university-level relations. He also commended the significant role played by the Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain Chair for Just Peace at the Mediterranean University in Albania.

         The Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain Chair for Just Peace organized an international seminar titled "The War in Ukraine and its Implications for Europe." This seminar was held at the Center for the Study and Practice of Conflict Resolution at the University of Malta, in collaboration with the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution at George Mason University in Washington, D.C.

         It's worth mentioning that the concept of establishing the Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain Chairs began in 2004, with the creation of the first chair at the University of Cordoba in Spain. The number of chairs has since grown to 20 chairs to date. Through these chairs, the poet Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain aimed to promote the teaching of the Arabic language, the dissemination of its literature and culture, and the education of a culture of sustainable and just peace in various universities across European countries.