“Albania – seen differently”, an exposition at the “European Forum Alpbach”

TIRANA, Aug. 30 – The “European Forum Alpbach”, whose president is dr. Erhard Busek, head of the Stability Pact, held Aug. 27-30 in Vienna a photo exhibition on Albania titled “Albania – seen differently”. It was prepared and organized from Fatmir Velaj, who is also the head of the “Forum Weltoffen Internacional”, one of the most improtant artistic centers in Vienna. Velaj had selected 26 works from his works and those of Ardian Fezollari. They were introduced at the Alpbach Congress Centre trying to show to an eelite European public something different from his country, different from what the media in the world has presented the tiny Balkan country he comes from. Velaj showed Albania’s beuatires of nature and portraits of common people in folk costumes and traditions. Visitors were surprised to know that was Albania.
participants in the opening ceremony were, besides Busek, Albanian Parliament Speaker Jozefina Topalli and Culture Ministrer Bujar Leskaj. “There are many positive signals on taking Albania neaerer the European Union and that also express a political and economic stability,” said Busek. “Let us turns our eyes toward Albania without any prejudgement and look at the potential of this country as a hope for the future.” Topalli mentioned not only her country’s beauties but also the recent development, especially in the spheres of art, culture and toursim.
Other visitors at the exhibition were EU Commissioner Benita Ferrero Waldner, Kosova Prime Minister Agim Ceku, Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik, and other ministers from Russia, Bulgaria, Serbia or other institutions.