Lorenc Bejko is an Albanian archaeologist and the director of the Albanian Institute of Cultural Monuments (Instituti I Monumenteve Të Kulturës). Bejko lives in Durres, an ancient city with a rich historical heritage. Confronted with his town's rapid expansion and the resulting damage to its archaeological heritage , Bejko finds himself torn between two priorities:

"My heart as an archaeologist is not happy when I see circumstances in which archaeology is being damaged, even destroyed by the growing city. But my heart as archaeologist is also the heart of a person that lives within the community and understands the need of this community to improve conditions of life and develop the infrastructure of the city. I want to see the protection of cultural heritage, the use of the cultural heritage for future development on one hand, and the developing of the city on the other. … But the results of the last 15 years of development in Durres have been disastrous for the protection of cultural heritage, especially for the archaeological heritage of this city."

The need to preserve Albania's past led Bejko to be active in the establishment of the Albanian Rescue Archaeology Unit. He was director of the organisation from its foundation in 1999 until June 2007.