TIRANA, November 20 –Minister of State for Parliamentary Relations Toni Gogu attended the opening of the Bible Collection exhibition. The exhibition displayed more than 400 rare Bibles printed in major European centers including Italy, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Greece from the mid-15th to the 19th century.

Earlier today, Gogu shared his experience as a member of the Interconfessional Bible Society of Albania in the early 2000s. He said Catholic priests, Orthodox clergy, and Protestant pastors collaborated on the same biblical text and created the unique translation Together. He described this cooperation as a rare example of interfaith harmony. In addition, he said it made Albania a model in the global Bible society community.

Gogu also recalled the period when the dictatorship banned religious texts. He noted that people were imprisoned for possessing a Bible. He added that a respected mathematics teacher in Berat faced imprisonment for owning a copy.

The minister expressed gratitude to translators who risked their lives to bring the texts to Albanian readers. He also recognized those who preserved Bibles in secrecy. Furthermore, he praised specialists who restored the texts.

Gogu concluded that the exhibition offered a unique journey into Albanian language and culture. He said the exhibition addressed all visitors including believers, atheists, agnostics, and people of all spiritual paths. He added that the Bible influenced art, music, and other aspects of culture.

/a.p./