MARTIN MATA: The Pyramid Project, the Educational Future of the Kids

Mr. Martin Mata, Co-Ceo Of Albanian-American Development Foundation

The Pyramid Project, the Educational Future of the Kids

BY RUDINA HOXHA & JOSE PINTO

MARTIN MATA, CO-CEO OF ALBANIAN-AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION (AADF) SAT WITH TRAILBLAZING MAGAZINE AND GAVE A REVEALING LOOK INTO THE AADF PROJECTS AND PORTFOLIO WHILE STOPPED MORE ON THE VERY MUCH EXPECTED TIRANA PYRAMID REVITALIZATION PROJECT.

“In general, it is fair to say that today our financial commitment for the entire portfolio of AADF is more than $78 million for more than 65 projects. One thing that is common about the projects, that we finance and develop, is that in the majority of the cases we research for a viable, proven and successful international model to emulate in Albania,” Mata stated in this exclusive interview.

Amidst all these projects, the latest – The Tirana Pyramid revitalization project made a hit for its concept and its focus- education of kids with 21st century skills at the intersection of technology and design, in animation, robotics, programming, game development. “The whole project in itself is an immense challenge,” Mata said. According to him, “the Pyramid will invite up to, we hope, 3000 kids/month, and in after school courses through the TUMO curricula kids will have access to a new kind of educational experience in technology and arts.”

Actually TUMO Tirana is located at Arena Center. “We hope that two years later when the Pyramid will be ready up and running, and TUMO Tirana will be located there, we will be able to use all the experience, the knowledge and the know-how that we gained during these two years,” he said.

FULL INTERVIEW BELOW:

Mr. Mata, thank you for sitting with TRAILBLAZING MAGAZINE. Please let’s start from what is the buzzword - The Tirana Pyramid revitalization project. How did AADF come up with the strategy to transform this city icon?

The Pyramid has been there forever, more than 30 years, and when AADF was considering the implementation and the introduction of TUMO project in Albania, one of the things we were looking for, was the location of this project. TUMO is about the education of kids with 21st century skills at the intersection of technology and design, in animation, robotics, programming, game development, etc., and it has been proved as one of the most modern and advanced curricula world-wide now days. In order to sustain the model to make it lifelong and build a legacy, we needed a location which would reflect and make it possible for AADF to place and to execute the TUMO project in a way that when AADF would exit from this project, it would continue to thrive. That is why we came up with the idea of the Pyramid of Tirana. When we proposed it to the Municipality of Tirana leadership it was agreed that the Pyramid, because of its location, size and its available space, it would be ideal so as that we could have TUMO there. More than half of the total space of the Pyramid would be used for the TUMO project, and the rest of it would be rented out as commercial space to tech companies and startups and the rest from those spaces would be leased to cover the costs that are necessary to maintain and manage the Pyramid.

In what aspects is this project so much different from the others fulfilled so far in Tirana and in the other cities by AADF? Who will benefit more from this incoming project?

In a certain way it couldn’t be more different, while our interventions in the majority of the city centers consist of in revitalizing historical centers, like The New Bazaar in Tirana, Old Bazaar in Korça, the Historic Neighborhood in Kruja, Gjirokastra, Berat, Vlora, and we have a new project in Durres, the latest one, whereas the Pyramid project is different because it is focused on education of the kids. The previous projects that I mentioned are focused on entrepreneurship ideas and developing a BID/TID Model for the associations of these businesses in each area, creating them and giving them a tool to sustain the model and to increase revenues, services, activities, to the benefit each of the businesses there. The Pyramid will invite up to, we hope, 3000 kids/month, and in after school courses through the TUMO curricula kids will have access to a new kind of educational experience in technology and arts. TUMO Tirana will offer learning programs in programming, animation, game development, graphic design, filmmaking, robotics, music, 3D modeling, etc., which to our opinion here at the AADF represent the future and educational for the kids for the years to come.

Could you discuss the challenges of the Pyramid project?

The whole project in itself is an immense challenge. First of all, it envisages the reconstruction of the Pyramid, a sophisticated architecture as we know, at least my generation, it was built to celebrate, to commemorate the name, the history and the activity of one of the worst dictators in Europe, Enver Hoxha. It is a massive building and over the last 30 years, the irony is that this building has lived through every possible experiment. The building became USAID office space quarter, at some point it became a NATO headquarter, and then at some point in time it became a disco, coffee bar. Later on, there was an effort to transform it onto a theater, and then it was abandoned, decaying and creating a worsening condition of the building in every possible aspect. So, the first main challenge it is its reconstruction and revitalization.

After reconstruction, of course the second in our opinion, the most important challenge it is the embodiment of the Pyramid with the new idea that we have, of transforming it into the most attractive after school educational center in Albania. Of course, to make it happen we will focus on making TUMO Tirana the backbone of the Pyramid and creating a

Actual interiors of the Pyramid of Tirana

management model which will provide the sustainability and the legacy of this building for the decades to come.

At what stage is the project now and how many stages it has to go through? When is it expected to be completed and inaugurated?

That is a good question. We have started to work about two and a half years ago with this project and there have been a few stages that we have been going through. We financed and we completed: the detailed architectural and engineering project design. We were lucky and we were able to cooperate and get the project designed by one of the most renowned architects in the world today, Winy Maas and his company MVRDV. The project was completed and submitted to the AADF in 2020.

Another important stage has been the signing of all the cooperation agreements with the Municipality of Tirana to secure and to guarantee the financing of this project. I should say that this project has been made possible only thanks to the partnership with the Municipality of Tirana, not just because of the financing, which is very important, but also because of the way that we have interlined our interests and the way how the Municipality of Tirana has supported the AADF efforts to provide more educational programs like TUMO for the kids in Tirana.

Another important stage was the selection of the construction company which would make possible the reconstruction of this building. As we speak today, the reconstruction the Pyramid has started and we hope that it will be completed by the end of the year 2022 and ready for operation. By the end of next year, we will have a new management of the Pyramid Center as a not-forprofit organization which will be responsible for the management of TUMO Tirana and the Pyramid itself in a rentable way to the benefit of course to the center itself, as it is, for the years to come.

Can you share with us more about TUMO Tirana?

One of the discussions we had at the AADF was the importance of time. We had two options: one was that we could wait for the Pyramid of Tirana to be reconstructed and then start TUMO as a project in Albania, which meant that we would be losing proximately two years; the other option was that we could introduce TUMO Tirana right away and that is what we did. TUMO is a program that is created and established in Yerevan, Armenia and we have built an excellent working relationship with the management of TUMO Yerevan where we to open TUMO Tirana right away. As we speak today the center is up and running at the Arena Center, where we have rented a considerable space and the classes have started. What we have been encouraged to see, is that both, the investment and the interest of the kids has matched the expectations that we have forecasted. The enthusiasm and the trust that kids and their parents have put on TUMO Tirana put a lot of responsibilities and weight on our shoulders. The TUMO Yerevan oversight, audit, professional development of the local educational team, the curricula are key to the success of TUMO Tirana. We hope that two years later when the Pyramid will be ready up and running, and TUMO Tirana will be located there, we will be able to use all the experience, the knowledge and the know-how that we gained during these two years.

Could you give us a breakdown of the other AADF projects and AADF portfolio?

It is a question that can take days to discuss in detail about the portfolio of AADF. In general, it is fair to say that today our financial commitment for the entire portfolio of AADF is more than $78 million for more than 65 projects. One thing that is common about the projects, that we finance and develop, is that in the majority of the cases we research for a viable, proven and successful international model to emulate in Albania.

For example, LEAD Albania is modeled after the White House Fellowship Program; Junior Achievement Albania is a branch of Junior Achievement Worldwide and Junior Achievement

Render of Pyramid of Tirana

Europe; BIDs/TIDs (Business/ Tourism Improvement Districts) are based upon the famous model that was developed first in the United States of America and then in Europe; the School of Principals is emulated after a very successful program that was implemented 12 years ago in Israel and in the US and Software Development Academy (SDA) by Protik built upon the international SDA model in Europe with HQ in Poland. Hence, the portfolio of AADF reflects a combination between what is proven successful in the world and the needs that Albania has had in these sectors. What we have done as AADF is that we have developed these projects in accordance with the needs and the opportunities that are created in Albania.

21 years of work experience with AAEF/AADF. What are the learnings?

Well, it is a lifetime of learnings and experiences! I have 32 years of working experience: 21 of them within the Fund and the Foundation, 5 of them are with the US Embassy, and the rest a combination for the Albanian government and public sector. When you look back, after 32 years of work, you realize that some lessons have become milestones in your professional life that they have motivated me to do more and better. I think that the most important lesson I have learned personally, in this experience, is the ability and the opportunity to impact and to transform for the better the lives of people, whether they are businesses all over the country, whether they are young entrepreneurs, kids, teachers, students or whether they are staff, associates, employees that we work together. Nothing makes my day better than being able to see how we all together create value and improve lives of people. I should say that another lesson learned is that when you are blessed to work for an American organization as the AAEF/AADF or the US Embassy are, and when institutions like these are led by terrific Board of Trustees as ours is, the only chance that is left to grab there is to make the best out of it. If I would turn it back, I would not change a dime about anything I have done, but I would do it the same, with the same passion with the same enthusiasm and with the same trust that it is always worth it. Another lesson, the last to close this interview, is about the future. We do have a moto here at the Foundation: Future is Today! It says a lot because each of us if we truly mean and want to do something that tomorrow will impact our lives for better, today is the time to start and do it. That is what we try to do here!

More than half of the total space of the Pyramid would be used for the TUMO project, and the rest of it would be rented out as commercial space to tech companies and startups and the rest from those spaces would be leased to cover the costs that are necessary to maintain and manage the Pyramid.

The Pyramid project is different because it is focused on education of the kids. The most important challenge it is the embodiment of the Pyramid with the new idea that we have, of transforming it into the most attractive after school educational center in Albania.

Render of Pyramid of Tirana

Construction