U.S. Ambassador Ries and Kukës Mayor Osman Elezi Open "American Corner" in Kukës (May 26, 2006)

On May 25, U.S. Ambassador Marcie B. Ries inaugurated in Kukës the third "American Corner" in Albania, together with the city's mayor, Osman Elezi. The new Corner is located in the city's Cultural Center.

The Kukës American Corner joins similar ones in Tirana, opened in February 2004, at the National Library, and Vlora, opened in December 2004, at the city's Public Library. These resource centers provide a variety of information about the United States for a wide range of visitors, including researchers, students, teachers, and the general public. They provide a window on the many facets of American life – cultural, political, social, and economic – and serve as a place for intellectual pursuits and the free flow of information.

The well-equipped facility is supplied with an assortment of current reference materials, books, periodicals, videotapes, and DVDs on education, business, literature, economics, and journalism. The American Corner also provides Internet facilities to all visitors for research and academic purposes.

The Kukës American Corner's opening was made possible through the financial support of the U.S. Department of State and the Embassy's Office of Defense Cooperation, which provided a total of $75,000.

The Office of Defense Cooperation (ODC) manages the US Department of Defense’s Humanitarian Assistance program, providing direct humanitarian assistance to the Albanian people. This program has been active in Albania since 1996, providing supplies and rebuilding schools, medical facilities, developing water projects and many other non-military projects.