A truly special and emotional day with the Arbëreshë in Vena di Maida, in the heart of Calabria, one of those areas in Italy where Albanian history has continued to live and speak for more than five centuries, where our language, traditions, and national identity have been preserved with extraordinary dedication from generation to generation.

Together with the Mayor, Mr. Salvatore Paone, whom I thank for his warm hospitality, as well as distinguished figures from the Arbëreshë academic and cultural world, including Prof. Francesco Stirparo, Prof. Cettina Mazzei, and Prof. Francesco Altimari, we took part in the 31st edition of the Cultural Folkloric Manifestation for the Appreciation of Linguistic Minorities, organized by the Cultural Association “Progetto Caraffa”.

It was another living testimony of the strength of the Arbëreshë identity and of the invaluable contribution that Arbëreshë communities have made and continue to make in preserving our national heritage. Through family, school, cultural associations, and community life, they have managed to keep alive the Albanian language, customs, historical memory, and sense of Albanian belonging for more than five centuries.

I expressed my deepest gratitude to every individual and Arbëreshë family who preserves this heritage with such love, pride, and dedication. The Arbëreshë are not only guardians of our historical memory; they are a living part of the Albanian nation and a valuable asset of European culture.

I reaffirmed Albania’s full commitment, as well as that of our institutions and the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, to further strengthening academic, scientific, cultural, and social ties with the Arbëreshë communities. In this regard, I particularly appreciated the important role of universities, Albanian language and literature departments, researchers, and Arbëreshë intellectuals, who for decades have made an irreplaceable contribution to the study, protection, and promotion of our language and culture.

Equally important remains the continuous support of Italian institutions, both central and local authorities, which have helped preserve and promote this rich cultural mosaic that represents added value for Italy and for all of Europe.

The Arbëreshë are today a living bridge between Albania and Italy, between the two shores of the Adriatic and Ionian seas, a bridge built on history, culture, memory, and friendship. They represent a valuable and unique example of how identity can be preserved and enriched through coexistence, dialogue, and integration.

In this context, we also welcomed new projects aimed at strengthening ties with Arbëreshë communities, including the new Arbëreshë Museum in Vuno, which is expected to serve as a modern center of memory, study, education, and cultural dialogue, further bringing Albania closer to its Arbëreshë sons and daughters.

Our shared history is not only a memory of the past; it is a living heritage that inspires us to build the future together.