Last updated: May 2025
The Hellenic Park by Farka Lake stands as a symbol of the growing relationship between Albania and Greece (Ref. 1,2,3). The project was designed and implemented by the Municipality of Tirana in partnership with the Greek Embassy and supported by Greek companies operating in Albania. Its inaugurated was attended by the mayors of both capitals and the Greek Ambassador to Albania (Ref. 3,4). The opening ceremony marked three significant milestones: the 200th anniversary of the Greek Revolution, the 50th anniversary of the restoration of diplomatic relations between Greece and Albania, and the 40th anniversary of Greece's membership in the European Union (Ref. 4). The park reflects bilateral unity through emblematic vegetation, such as olive trees, which hold cultural significance in both countries. Beyond enhancing diplomatic ties, Hellenic Park fosters inclusive sports and cultural activities and provides a space for recreation (Ref. 1,3,4).
Hellenic Park
https://www.skyscrapercity.com/threads/parku-i-liqenit-artificial-t%C3%AB-fark%C3%ABs-farka-artificial-lake.2182130/page-4
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Blue infrastructure
- Riverbank/Lakeside greens
- Parks and urban forests
- Large urban parks or forests
Key challenges
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
- Promotion of cultural diversity
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Creation of opportunities for recreation
- Enabling opportunities for physical activity
- Improving physical health
- Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
- Inclusive governance
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Social justice and equity
- Social interaction
Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)
- Land use and Socio-economic change
- Unequal availability and access to public green spaces
- Health, Well-being and Social cohesion
- Inadequate access to recreational opportunities
Key priorities
Social Justice and community
Focus
Creation of new green areas, Creation of large parks and urban and peri-urban forests, Improved governance of green or blue areas, Creation of new, innovative governance and management approaches, Other
Project objectives
Goal 1: Provide a multifunctional area for physical and cultural activities to enhance social interaction. (Ref. 1,4)
Goal 2: Demonstrate Greek-Albanian relations using vegetation found in both countries. (Ref. 2,3)
Goal 3: Increase and diversify inclusive recreational green spaces in city parks to foster social justice and equity (Ref. 1)
Implementation activities
The project activities are presented below and structured based on the project goals:
Goal 1: Installation of diverse amenities, i.e. amphitheatre, fitness area, playground, benches, as well as a jetty for boats. (Ref. 1)
Goal 2: Inauguration of the park held on the same day as the 200th anniversary of the Greek Revolution, the 50th anniversary of the restoration of diplomatic relations between Greece and Albania, and the 40th anniversary of Greece's membership in the European Union.
Planting of culturally significant, emblematic species i.e. olive trees and other shrubs found in both countries. (Ref. 2,3,4)
Goal 3: Not further specified.
Main beneficiaries
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Government-led
Type of initiating organisation
- Local government/municipality
- Public sector institution
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
- Co-management/Joint management
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
"Proposed by APR ( Parks and Recreation Agency of the Municipality) as a comprehensive park to stand in front of the Puglia and Turkish Parks, Helen Park found the support of businesses and the Greek Embassy [...] ". (Ref.1)
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a national policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a local policy or strategy?
Unknown
Type of enablers
Governance innovations (such as public private partnerships)
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Public local authority budget
- Corporate investment
Type of funding
- Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
- Donations
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Achieved increased green space area
- Increased number of species present
- Achieved increased number of species present
Economic impacts
- Unknown
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Improved access to urban green space
- Achieved improved access to urban green space
- Increased opportunities for social interaction
- Expected increased opportunities for social interaction
- Health and wellbeing
- Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
- Achieved gain in activities for recreation and exercise
- Improved physical health
- Expected improved physical health
- Enhanced cognitive restoration, relaxation and stress relief
- Expected enhanced cognitive restoration, relaxation and stress relief
- Cultural heritage and sense of place
- Promotion of cultural diversity
- Achieved promotion of cultural diversity
Type of reported impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Unknown
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs
Unknown
References
1.
Agjencia e Parqeve dhe Rekreacionit (n.d.). Parku Helen - Farke. Accessed on September 7, 2024, [Source link];
2.
Titan Albania (n.d.). Përurohet “Parku Helen” në Tiranë. Accessed on September 7, 2024, [Source link];
3.
Halili, E. (2021). Hellenic Park Inaugurated in Tirana. Albanian Daily News, Accessed on September 7, 2024, [Source link];
4.
TiranaPost (2021). Helen Park inaugurated on Farka Lake, photos seem to be the comment of the mayor of Athens. Accessed on September 7, 2024, [Source link];
5.
TiranaPost (2022). 510 new trees are planted in the Farka Lake Park . Accessed on September 7, 2024, [Source link];
Mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj, and the mayor of Athens, Kostas Bakoyannis, at the opening ceremony of the park
https://tiranapost.al/my-tirana/perurohet-parku-helen-ne-liqenin-e-farkes-fotot-si-duket-komenti-i-kry-i499606
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.