Former Italian Prime Minister Massimo D’Alema took part in the presentation of Leadership by Henry Kissinger, held today at the Prime Minister’s Office in Tirana. The book has now been published in Albanian, featuring a special foreword written by Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama.

D’Alema called the book a kind of testament by Kissinger. He praised the way Kissinger presents six major world leaders of the 20th century. Each profile, he said, reveals the unique qualities of leadership. Kissinger distinguishes each figure by highlighting their defining virtues. According to D’Alema, this gives the book deep meaning and lasting value.

Speaking about today’s crisis of leadership in the Western world, D’Alema emphasized Kissinger’s political realism. He also underlined Kissinger’s ability to engage in dialogue with those who were very different from him. This, he said, is a lesson for today’s leaders.

D’Alema shared that he met Kissinger three times.

He also reflected on one of the book’s central warnings. Kissinger highlights the danger of power politics combined with rapid technological change. This combination, D’Alema said, increases the risk of conflict—one that no one truly wants.

He described this as a powerful message. While the entire book is impressive, he said, the final pages offer a particularly strong and timely warning. They also raise important questions about the relationship between politics and technological innovation.

/a.c/