Vlore, the capital of the independence, has started the celebrations for
the 100th anniversary of independence. The celebrations have been
running for several days, and today they had two special guests, the
former US Ambassador to Albania, John Withers and the Kosovo academic
scholar, Rexhep Qosja.
A few days ago, the Municipality and the Vlore Municipal Council unanimously decided to honour these personalities with the title “citizen of honour”, which was handed over today on a special ceremony held at the “Petro Marko” theatre.
The Mayor of Vlore, Shpetim Gjika, has valued the figures of two well known personalities who have given a precious contribution for Vlore and Albania. For Gjika, former Ambassador Withers has remained a great friend for the Albanians. “Although he has left Albania for two years, former Ambassador Withers has its heart with the citizens of this country. Every 28 November he organizes a dinner for Albania’s independence”, Gjika underlined.
The former US Ambassador expressed his appreciation for the title, and declared that he is optimistic that Albania will have a new rebirth of freedom. “I head several thoughts before coming to this podium, but I want to start it with something that I didn’t think earlier. I guarantee Mayor Gjika that Vlore has still a special place in my heart. This is the first time that I return in Albania, since I left as ambassador in 2010, and now I return as an American citizen. When I arrived today in Vlore, and I saw these wonderful people, I had the feeling that I was returning home. The honour that was given to me today is the biggest honour that I have ever received in my life. I wish to thank the politicians and citizens of Vlore. I am not sure if I deserve this, to be compared with a well known figure such as Rexhep Qosja, and stand with him on the same podium for the 100th anniversary of independence and with so many wonderful people. I have no other words to express my gratitude for this honour, but I have a promise: I will see that the city of Vlore feels proud”, Withers declared.
Withers added that he believes in Albania and the Albanians. “83 men gathered and signed a small piece of paper with a few sentences, but the signature of these 83 brave men made a holy promise that is being transmitted even today: ‘A free and independent Albania’. With the signature of this promise, they put their lives in danger, but the vision defeated the danger. Now there are different dangers and a different vision. It is not easy to be free and independent, but it is the vision of a democracy that governs with equal laws and justice for independent institutions and equality. I know your challenges, but I believe in Albania and the Albanians. I believe in you because I knew some things about you before coming here, and other things I learned after I was here. I knew about Skanderbeg, Mother Theresa, Musine Kokalari, Isa Boletini, Rexhep Qose, Ismail Kadare, Ismail Qemali and I know that they are still among you, with their visions. I learned about the city of Vlore and that the independence spirit was born here and that it is still with you. Because of the nobility and goodness, I have no doubt that Albania will have a new freedom rebirth, and this was the vision of Ismail Qemali”, Withers declared.
Academic Rexhep Qosja, a well-known intellectual of the Albanian nation, considered Vlore as the heart of all Albanians. “Vlore is the unifying heart of all Albanians, the city of glory. I feel privileged for this honour given to me by this title. This is an honour that makes more significant the life of who receives it, and obliges him with this title”, Qosja declared. He valued the historical role of Vlore and criticized the efforts that are being made to fade the historic importance of this city.
“After 100 years, the Albanians don’t gather to celebrate as Tosks or Ghegs, Catholics or Muslims. The Albanians in Vlore gather to celebrate as Albanians. They gather to celebrate united, and this is what makes Albania united, the Albania for which the Vlore delegates voted. This was their ideal. It was like this in the past 99 years, and it will be like this in the next 100 years. It will be like this for as long that Vlore will be there, and Vlore will be there forever. No one can take this historic role of Vlore, which was given to this city by history and geography, and that is in the hearts and minds of all Albanians”, Qosja underlined.
New statue of Ismail Qemali in Vlore
One day before the Albanian state will be 100 years old, the city of independence inaugurated the statue of the father of our nation, Ismail Qemali, which is the biggest monumental work of these 20 years for the man who signed the greatest historic act in these 100 years.
The statue was revealed by the former US Ambassador, John Withers, and the academic Rexhep Qosja, together with the opposition leader, Edi Rama, MPs from the Albanian and Kosovo Parliaments, and hundreds of citizens.
The Mayor of Vlore valued the work of Ismail Qemali, and considered as impossible ant effort that tries to fade it. He referred to the government emphasizing the role of Ahmet Zogu, and said that these efforts were not accepted by the Albanians who gathered from every Albanian-speaking land to honour the work of Ismail Qemali in Vlore.
“It’s shameful what the government did by taking a bust from the museum and hiding it behind a building. Honouring this kind of monarch and forgetting the father of our nation, is unforgivable. I wouldn’t say this if this was the only crazy think made by this government. Instead of finding us united, as the men who signed this document wanted, the 100th anniversary is finding us with rivalry, with the government trying to move the centre of independence from Vlore”, Gjika declared.
The opposition leader also reinforced the role of Ismail Qemali as the most important figure of our nation.
“The Albanians must see towards the future with a common vision that of building the conditions that will allow all Albanians to prepare a new generation of European Albanians also in Kosovo, Macedonia and everywhere else. We have the duty to give our children the chance to become first hand citizens of the EU”, Rama declared.
“In a bad weather, small birds fly low but the eagles keep flying high, and Ismail Qemali was an eagle”, former US Ambassador Withers declared.
The bronze statue, an investment of the Vlore Municipality, is 7.2 meters high, with three meters of basement.
The musical groups that arrived in Vlore for the 100th anniversary of independence started performing since the first hours if Thursday.
The Albanian symbols are everywhere, and the participants are of all ages.
Government’s activities in Vlore
The Albanian Prime Minister, Sali Berisha, arrived in Vlore at 17:00, where he joined thousands of Albanians who are celebrating the 100th anniversary of independence.
Feeling emotional by the cheerful reception of the citizens and the atmosphere that is already created in Vlore, Berisha walked from the Vlore entrance to the main square.
Berisha expressed his gratitude to Vlore and the Vlore citizens, who made possible that all Ethnic lands could declared the independence 100 years ago.
“Good evening Vlora and Albanians wherever you are. You have my deepest gratitude for this reception. Vlore of Ismail Qemali, Vlore of Independence. I will read a few words that I wrote on this scroll: “To Vlore, its citizens, Ismail Qemal Vlora and the other men of our nation who made this city eternal. To the Albanians wherever they are, from Prezeva to Presheva, from Skopje to Podgorica. Eternal honours go to the father of the Albanian independence, Ismail Qemal Vlora, to the men who signed the act, to the Vlore citizens and all Albania. Happy 100th year of independence”, Berisha declared.
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