The speech of Minister Elva Margariti on the occasion of the signing Cultural Cooperation Program between Albania and Italy (2022-2025)

June 7, 2022

Dear Dario,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Let me thank you for accepting the invitation to come to Albania during the Italian Cultural Week celebrations.

In their philosophy, Cultural Weeks are a big celebration, which we share with good friends; to spread messages of peace and cooperation; to get to know each other; to celebrate what is most beautiful, what makes us different, but also what unites us: culture!

It is not by chance that we will hold today’s meeting in this very building, with an almost strange history, sometimes called the Royal Palace, sometimes the Brigade Palace: commissioned by an Albanian king, designed by an Italian architect.. to show that our two countries have given and received, built beautiful things that have stood the test of time… But the most beautiful thing we have built over the centuries is the friendship between our two countries.

You have welcomed us many times as needy people in search of hope on your shores, but also as collaborators, or simply as tasters of the eternal Italian beauty.. And we are grateful to you… When your country was faced with an extraordinary difficulty, in the fight against COVID19, we had no hesitation in being in solidarity with you not just spiritually, but also by bringing doctors and nurses to Italy. Maybe a small help, but a symbol of our gratitude and willingness not just to pay off a debt, but to be close to anyone who is in trouble.

I am one of those Albanians who have spent half of their life in Italy and I returned to my country with the desire to bring here the best I could gather from you. .

Anyone who comes to Albania cannot hide their surprise at how it is possible that almost all those born before the 90s understand or speak the Italian language quite well.

During the deepest Albanian isolation, the Italian television screens, which we dared to see secretly, were for us a light of hope, a thread of communication with the world. And so the Italian language came to us.. and over the years it was institutionalized and taught in our education system. , where there is a significant and consolidated community of Albanians.

 

Departments of relevant languages in higher education institutions will play an important role in implementing programs, exchanging experiences, awarding scholarships or twinning.

And today I am happy that as we celebrate the Italian Culture Week, we are writing the new, 3-year, cooperation program culture, together with my counterpart and friend from Albania, Mr. Franceschini. I take the opportunity to thank Ambassador Fabrizio Bucci, our close collaborator, lover of culture, with whom we are advancing not only our International Weeks initiative, but also many other ambitious projects

In building this communication bridge, which we are signing today, a special role from the Ministry of Education and Sports, in particular my colleague, Minister Evis Kushi, who has shown full will for the design and approval of this program.

Dear Minister, we have often talked together about the challenges that the new post-COVID contexts have put before us, which require more cooperation and today is the day,on behalf of the Albanian Government to sign and reaffirm the commitment between our two countries in the FIELDS OF EDUCATION, CULTURE, SPORT AND YOUTH.

The program we are signing will promote cooperation between universities not only in the field of linguistics, but also in the field of culture.

It is very important that the universities, as the core of the training of young specialists, cooperate among themselves, but also with institutions such as the National Institute of Heritage Cultural, Institute of Archaeology, Institute of History etc.

As Minister of Culture I am proud that today we sign the program that strengthens cooperation between the cultural institutions of our two countries.

Collaborations in music, theater and dance Entertainment, visual arts through exhibitions of our artists or gallery funds; exchanges and representations at festivals and various international activities; twinning of institutions such as our National Theater with well-known Italian theaters, such as Teatro Piccolo in Milan and Teatro Stabile in Turin.

We intend to increase co-productions in the field of cinematography. We are currently working on some changes in the Law on Cinematography, which, among other things, increase the possibilities of film exchanges and co-productions. I am convinced that the Italian partners will be the first not simply because of the geographical proximity, but also because of the similar culture.

Without forgetting cultural heritage, which our two countries have a valuable asset and we are honored to learn from Italian excellence in this field. strong>

This program envisages exchanges of information, experiences, publications in the field of museology, protection, preservation and restoration of cultural heritage and landscape; cooperation in the field of restoration through the exchange of architecture specialists and works of art; but also

twinning between museums of the same typology, such as: Durrës Archaeological Museum and Naples Archaeological Museum.

On the other hand,Albania reiterates its full commitment to the fight against illegal traffic of cultural assets, strengthening cooperation with Italian institutions, implementing national legislation and International Conventions UNESCO.

Cooperation will also extend to contemporary art, design and architecture, archives, libraries and the book industry, enabling a broad and meaningful relationship between our countries.

Dear attendees,

The new cooperation program comes as a natural continuation of the successful cooperation we have had over the years. I mention here the cooperation program in the field of culture. In 1994, the agreements that have enabled Italian investments in important projects such as The Art Park, the “Adrion” and “Adrifort” projects, the digitization and staff training projects of the “Marubi” Museum, and a series of activities, the list of which would be too long to list. mentioned here before you.

Our connections carry the echo of history. They are not only spiritual but also physical. The Arbëreshes, the new Albanian diaspora in Italy, since the 90s and the last few years, the many Italians who have chosen to work and live in Albania, are fragments of a mosaic that, in the jargon of culture professionals, must be conserved and enriched.

This mosaic is the model of an exemplary relationship of good neighborliness. What about the time we live in is an actual message, because culture, in the relationship between states , should be the point that unites and not the end that separates.

Thank you!