The presentation of the projects of the 5 finalist studios competing in the international competition for the “Besa” Museum has started at the National Theater of Opera and Ballet (TKOB).

The prestigious studios from which the winner will be selected are MVRDV from the Netherlands, EAA Emre Arolat Architecture from Turkey, Schneider & Schumacher from Germany, Cook Haffner Architecture Platform from UK and Oppenheim Architecture from Switzerland.

Prime Minister Edi Rama states in a post on social networks that the final of the international competition for the “Besa” Museum, a missing space of great value to Albania, where the glorious history of the salvation of the Jews during the WWII, will be the gravity around which this space will come to life through the themes of coexistence, tolerance, peace, becoming a meeting point of histories, cultures, opinions and dialogue between the different”.

“Beyond any classical approach, such as archeology and others, the concept of /besa/ faith is a spiritual concept and as such definitely finds the need to be shown not only through history books but with a space that speaks Albanian and above all it also speaks the language of 2023. In short and in Albanian, this concept is called “Besa”. A spiritual dimension of Albanians and with this completeness that exists in Albania, we say with conviction that it does not exist in any other country”, said the Minister of Culture, Elva Margariti during the presentation at TKOB.

The “Besa” Museum is spiritually connected with the Jewish Museum in Vlora. Its construction is a challenge since on the one hand it is about the restoration and turning into a museum of a historical building in the heart of Tirana, but at the same time it must speak with the voice of the present time.

“As an increasingly growing metropolis, Tirana needs to show not only its modern dimension but above all the roots that connect us with the most beautiful and characteristic elements of Albanian world,” said Minister Margariti, while adding that the protection of the Jews by the Albanians was one of the most symbolic moments of what we take for granted in Albania, which is Albanian tolerance and coexistence”.

/a.p./