The Minister of Tourism and Environment of Albania, Mirela Kumbaro, has announced the start of work for the inclusion of Vjosa in the list of world assets protected by UNESCO, under the "Man and Biosphere" program. Kumbaro had a meeting with the UNESCO delegation in Tirana, which will follow the preparation of the application file. "Intensive work awaits us in the preparation of the application file, which the Ministry of Tourism and Environment and the National Agency of Protected Areas will submit to UNESCO within this year, to give another international passport to the queen of European rivers and added another Albanian jewel to the UNESCO list", said Kumbaro.

Vjosa was declared a National Park in March 2023. Earlier, the Director General of UNESCO Audrey Azoulay visited Vjosa at the invitation of Minister Kumbaro in order to include it in the list of locations protected by UNESCO, evaluating it as one of the last rivers of wild in Europe and the first National Park of an intact river. The preparation of the application is a long process according to the standards of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, and Albania will be assisted by the "Man and Biosphere" program team.