Italian band wins Aulona folk festival

TIRANA, May 13 – Italian band Citta di Palagianello has been announced the winner of the sixth edition of the Aulona International Folk Festival staged for three consecutive nights in the southern coastal Albanian town of Vlora.
Folk bands from Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Kosovo, croatia, Macedonia and Poland participated in this year’s edition of the festival from May 10 to 12 which also promotes tourism in one of Albania’s top destinations.
In a message to participants in the festival, renowned Albanian writer Dritero Agolli, who is also the honorary president of the festival, described the Aulona festival as an opportunity to communicate among regional countries and exchange culture and promote peace.
Organized by the Aulona cultural centre, the festival has turned into a traditional event promoting Vlora, as a top tourist destination in Albania and the region.
The festival, known for its spectacular and original character, is part the International Council of Organizations of Folklore Festivals and Folk Arts (CIOOF) calendar and relies on its principles
Meanwhile, the handicraft fair brought clothing, wooden, glass and ornament objects.
“The special handicraft fair completes the geography of the opening of the tourist season because Vlora is the queen of tourism and history,” said organizers of the fair.