TIRANA, Nov. 25, 2022 – Albania has marked its 110 years as a modern state with an official ceremony in Vlora, where independence from the Ottoman Empire was declared in 1912, and in Tirana, where grand concert by Albanian-British pop star Dua Lipa was held.
Thousands attended a rally in Vlora’s Flag Square, where the Independence Monument is located. All of the leaders of Albania and Kosovo were in attendance. Albania and Kosovo had a day earlier held a joint session of parliament to mark the occasion.
What is Flag Day?
November 28th is Albania’s national day and is also known as Flag Day in both Albania and Kosovo as it marks the 1912 event when Ismail Qemali Vlora, Albania’s founding father and many other patriots from around the region raised the double-headed red and black flag inherited from Skanderbeg to declare independence from the Ottoman Empire.
Less than half the country they had envisioned is part of today’s Albania as neighboring countries were assigned a large part of the Albanian population and land when Albania was recognized internationally in 2013. As a result Flag Day is celebrated today in Kosovo where the vast majority of residents are ethnic Albanians who gained their independence from Serbia with the help of Western nations after a bloody war in 1999 as well as other countries in the region, such as North Macedonia, where Albanians make up part of the population.
Dua Lipa granted Albanian citizenship, holds concert
In Tirana, there was a festive atmosphere as Albanian British pop star Dua Lipa held a massive festive concert in the evening in Skanderbeg Square.
Lipa, whose parents are ethnic Albanians from Kosovo, had earlier in the day been granted Albanian citizenship for her services to the Albanian people for which she serves as an unofficial ambassador around the world.
Achievements, goals highlighted at Vlora ceremony
In Vlora, in attendance were President of Albania Bajram Begaj, President of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani, Prime Minister of Albania Edi Rama and Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti as well as the Speakers of Parliament of both countries Lindita Nikolla and Glauk Konjufca.
President of Albania Begaj delivered the remarks at the Vlora event, the only leader to hold a speech, praising the sacrifices of Albanians for freedom and highlighting the country’s achievements as a “a reliable factor and actor for peace, stability and good neighborliness in the region.”
“Albania is a worthy member of NATO, the largest political and military alliance in the world, but also the largest alliance of values, democracy and prosperity,” Begaj said, also urging the country’s political class to work harder on reforms needed for Albania’s EU integration agenda.
“Despite the achievements, we have a long way to go,” Begaj said. “But what we must do, first of all, is to love the homeland with deeds, with service and idealism, just like the great patriots we honor today.”
