National Youth Day in Albania Date in the current year: December 8, 2024

In 1944, Albania was liberated from Nazi occupation by the National Liberation Movement and became a socialist republic. After the Second World War, it severed ties with Western countries and became heavily dependent on Soviet aid. Albania's communist regime was similar to that in other Eastern European countries.

In 1985, Ramiz Alia became the country's head of state. He loosened some political controls and allowed public discussion of societal problems. However, many young Albanians thought that he was too cautious.

The fall of communism in Albanian began in December 1990 with student protests in the capital city of Tirana. Students of the University of Tirana (then Enver Hoxha University) marched through the streets, demanding political and social reforms. By December 11, the number of protesters had reached almost 3,000. In order to quell the unrest, Alia met with the students and promised to take further steps toward democratization.

In 2010, the anniversary of the first demonstration was declared National Youth Day to recognize the contribution of Albanian youth to the fall of communism.