About 60 researchers and professors from different universities around the world have shown interest in getting to know the fund of Albanian ballads. They gathered in Gjirokastra at the conference organized by the Academy of Sciences.

“There are 45 foreign researchers and 20 Albanians. It is the best case for the country’s researchers to compare their level with foreign researchers, for the different schools of ballad studies to judge each other. Returning to their countries, the folklore tradition and especially for the fund of Albanian ballads,’ said the academician, Shaban Sinani.

This conference aims at the preservation of folklore values.

This year’s theme is “The Ballad and the Audience”, that is, the role of the ballad and its connection with the audience,” said Arbnora Dushi, vice president of the international commission of ballad researchers.

Parallel to the scientific conference, the “Divani Lunxhiot” festival was held, which gave foreign researchers the opportunity to see performances of folklore songs and dances up close.

/Klara Ruci/