American Corner Celebrates Martin Luther King Day

TIRANA, Jan. 18 – A group of students from “Lef Sallata” elementary school in Vlora gathered this week at the American Corner there to celebrate Martin Luther King Day with Embassy officials. The Assistant Public Affairs Officer Niles Cole and the students discussed the important milestones in Dr. King’s life and his efforts to advance civil rights in America. Because Martin Luther King Day celebrates service, the event focused on the importance of citizen activism and civic participation. The students recited a poem about the Civil Rights Movement in America and discussed ways they affect change in their communities.
Last week, over thirty students from the University of Tirana, the Wilson School, and Planet Center also gathered at the American Corner in Tirana to celebrate Martin Luther King Day with U.S. Embassy officials. The students came to learn why Dr. King is honored with a federal holiday about the long-lasting effect his legacy has had on American society. The students explored Dr. King’s life and his role in the American Civil Rights movement, as well as the importance of citizen activism. The event ended with a surprise for the students as Ambassador Arvizu came in to share anecdotes about diversity and tolerance in America and answer questions about the progress of civil rights in America since Dr. King’s 1963 “I have a dream” speech on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.