Pogradec, Albania - UPF organized a clean-up project on April 27 along the southern shore of Ohrid Lake in coordination with the local government of Pogradec, the Director of Education of the city (who mobilized high school and middle school students), and another NGO that deals with recycling of plastic garbage.

The cooperation was fruitful, even though we could not clean the area fully because more people and tools were needed. However, the project helped make people aware of their environment and was a valuable learning experience for the participants.

Ohrid Lake straddles the mountainous border of eastern Albania and the southwestern Macedonia. One of Europe's deepest and oldest lakes, it has a unique aquatic ecosystem with more than 200 unique species ranging from algae and plants to crustaceans and fish. The water is exceptionally clear for up to 22 meters in depth. However, the growing population around the lake and expanding tourist facilities have created stress in the ecosystem. The lake was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1979.