Honorable colleagues, Ministers and Members of Parliament,

Dear representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited to Albania,

Ladies and gentleman,

 

I would like to welcome you in this event which commemorates the Holocaust victims, organized for the third consecutive year by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I would also like to thank the CoE Office and that of the United Nations in Tirana, for their support in organizing this activity.

The Holocaust commemoration is not only a sign of sublime respect to those who lost their lives, but also of gratitude to our forefathers, who showed their commitment to the highest human values.

Thus, by remembering the other, we remember ourselves.

The Stockholm Declaration, the founding document of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, states that “we identify with the pain of the victims and take inspiration from their struggle.”

It is precisely this inspiration that should serve to deal with current global challenges that affect us all.

Currently, Europe stands at a crossroads between the acceptance of refugees from Africa and the Middle East who are being persecuted for various reasons, and the preservation of fundamental human values, upon which the building of the European Union stands.

To those who seek to simplify current challenges by presenting them as a clash of civilizations or religions, this is the day we tell them that this is not true.

The right to life is a fundamental human right. Refusal of hearing the others’ cry for help cannot be justified by economic inability nor legitimized to create new divisions.

Today, we, Albanians have something to show; something ordinary to us, but extraordinary for those who survived and those who remember.

In those dark times, Albanians stood proudly before history, by choosing the side of life.

Now our challenge is how to convey this story to younger generations. This is one reason why, during our visit to Israel a few weeks ago, we signed, together with Yad Vashem, a program which will enable the inclusion of this story in the education curricula in Albania.

But what was the connection between poor Albanians with European Jews persecuted by Nazism?

Nothing but respect for human life. Nobility to protect others – different, strangers under threat of dying – was more important than the risk for the lives of saviors and their families.

“Being a small or large country is not measured by the extent of a territory, nor by the number of the population, but by the country’s values and education of the society.” – This is how Nobelist Shimon Peres defines the exceptionality of Albanians, during the remarkable meeting we had in Israel a few weeks ago.

Honorable guests,

Often, we Albanians wonder how sensitive others are to the religious composition of our society, and if not occasionally reminded about, we ourselves would think no more of it.

Not that we fail to recognize it, but because it is neither essential nor defining to us in terms of interpersonal relations, or relations with others.

In Albanian history, we cannot find any moment of tension among religions, nor can we think of any event to be marked by frictions or clashes on religious grounds.

It is in this context that we must understand the saying of our great poet Vaso Pasha, when he masterfully wrote that “the religion of the Albanians is “Albanianism”.

At the foundation of our society lies the understanding, tolerance and coexistence, a culture of respect for others, for their rituals and ceremonies.

This culture is not given, nor granted; it is created and nurtured. A culture which is enriched and not defined by religion.

This is our example to Europe, to the world we live in.

In conclusion, I would like to thank Mr. Xhemal Veseli, brother of Refik Veseli, whose name, along with 72 other Albanians, stands as Righteous among the Nations at Yad Vashem. Your example makes us proud and responsible!

Thank you for your attention.