Tirana, 23 May 2025 – On the occasion of International Missing Children’s Day, CRCA/ECPAT Albania and the National Hotline for Missing Children – ALO 116-000, organized a symbolic human chain in front of the Prime Minister’s Office and the Albanian Parliament, delivering a powerful message: Don’t forget missing children!
Citizens, activists, and public officials joined in solidarity to honor the memory of Albania’s missing children and to demand urgent action from state institutions to prevent and respond to such cases more effectively.
Approximately 120 children are reported missing in Albania every year, with at least 12 still unaccounted for. Among them are: Bleona Mata, Azize Mirlak, Jasmina Jasharaj, Jonuz Luga, Julian Cela, Juliana Hoxha, Mateo Bejaj, Mitat Ibrahimi, Ndue Nikolla, Violeta Nikolla, and Xhevair Gezdari.
Participants called for the immediate implementation of the AMBER Alert system by the State Police – a crucial tool that could significantly increase the speed and effectiveness of locating and recovering missing children.
“The disappearance of a child is not just a family tragedy, it is a national crisis,” organizers emphasized. A coordinated institutional response, immediate action, and the use of technology and data-driven policies are essential to ensure that no child is forgotten.
Through this human chain of solidarity, participants reaffirmed that every child has the right to safety, protection, and to be reunited with their family. Albania must not remain silent in the face of their disappearance.