The “Hora e Skënderbeut” Association in Switzerland has taken the initiative to donate the statue of Skanderbeg to an Arbëresh center in Italy. To this purpose, a concert was held with Albanian cultural-artistic groups in Kriens, Lucerne, on April 13, 2024,.

The motto “Skanderbeg brings us together” gathered in this activity 16 Albanian cultural-artistic groups in Switzerland.

The ambassador of the Republic of Albania to Bern, Mustafa Nano, the First Secretary at the Albanian Embassy, ​​Valon Gashi, the Consul General of the Consulate of the Republic of Kosova in Zurich, Vigan Berisha, teachers and activists took part in this activity.

Ambassador Nano in his welcoming speech, congratulating them for this initiative and ensured the full support of the Embassy, ​​emphasizing that, above all, the fact that the Albanians of Switzerland remember to give a gift to Hora e Arbëreshëve /Piana degli Albanesi/, is not just a simple financial contribution, rather it is act of communication and cooperation between Albanians and this is exciting.

Despite the integration in the Swiss society, the Albanians in Switzerland preserve and promote their cultural identity by organizing cultural activities, traditional holidays, and keeping in touch with the Albanian community in Switzerland, with the origin but also in other countries, as is the recent case with the Arbëresh of Italy.

Gifting the statue to Hora e Arbëreshëve is a noble and interesting initiative, launched last year in the Albanian community of Switzerland, which is taking shape during these last months. It is the initiative of a group of local activists and artists to give a precious gift, the statue of George Kastrioti  Skanderbeg, to the center of the Arbëresh people of Sicily, Hora e Arbëreshëve /Piana degli Albanesi .

/a.p./