Djana Bejko is a doctor of biological sciences and former deputy minister of environment from Albania; she is dedicated to nature conservation and transboundary cooperation between countries' shared natural resources. For more than thirteen years she has worked for international organizations, including Swiss Cooperation, the Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe, and HELVETAS Intercooperation. She is a founder and director of the Transboundary FORUM of Shkodra/Skadar Lake, a neutral platform of cooperation and negotiation between Albania & Montenegro. She lectures widely and is an author and co-author of publications and research studies in sustainable development of environment, transboundary cooperation, biodiversity conservation, water quality and other issues related to the environment. She is a member of IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas; likewise, she has been invited to share her experiences in more than 30 international conferences and scientific symposiums, as well, as three world congresses related to nature conservation.