Albania to celebrate Independence, Liberation days

“The White Night of Albania’s 70th Liberation anniversary, too many surprises and a magic night on November 29, an extraordinary night between the Festival of Lights and surprises with Jessie J, Elhaida Dani and many others,” says Prime Minister Edi Rama.
TIRANA, Nov. 27 – Albania will celebrate this weekend its 102nd anniversary of independence and its 70th liberation with a series of events expected to culminate on Saturday, Nov. 29 with a huge concert featuring British pop star Jessie J.
“The White Night of Albania’s 70th Liberation anniversary, too many surprises and a magic night on November 29, an extraordinary night between the Festival of Lights and surprises with Jessie J, Elhaida Dani and many others,” wrote Prime Minister Edi Rama on his Twitter profile.
“Albania! I’m so happy to announce that I’ll be coming and playing in Tirana on November 29th for Albania’s 70th liberation day!” world star Jessie J announced on social media few days ago.
Elhaida Dani, the 20-year old singer who made every Albanian proud in 2013 when she won the Voice of Italy song contest will also perform in the open-air concert at the Mother Teresa square on the evening of Nov. 29 when Albania marks its 70th Liberation anniversary.
The Municipality of Tirana says it will mark the 102nd anniversary of independence on Nov. 28 with several events including paying homage to victims of the country’s communist regime, concerts by the Tirana Philharmonic and two plays at the Metropol theatre.
The winning movies of this year’s Dokufest, Kosovo’s largest film festival held in the historic town of Prizren, are also scheduled to screen on Nov. 27 and 28 at the National Museum of History in Tirana as part of the joint Albania-Kosovo cooperation programme.
Since 2013, November 29, which marks Albania’s liberation from the Nazi-fascist occupation, is being celebrated as a White Night, a new concept bringing art closer to public spaces.
In the 2012 centennial celebrations, famous Kosovo-born, UK-based R&B singer Rita Ora performed in Tirana in the evening of November 28 in front of thousands of supporters who defied rain to attend an open-air concert marking Albania’s 100th anniversary of independence.
Covered in national flags and portraits of national hero Skanderbeg and independence leader Ismail Qemali, Tirana marked the centenary of anniversary with three days of celebrations.
Concerts, exhibitions, the inauguration of some new monuments, a Made-in Albania products trade fair and a giant red and black 14 tonne-cake were some of the events organized from November 26 to 28 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the country’s declaration of independence.
The first book written and published in Albanian, a 188-page translation of the Catholic missal of the mid 16th century arrived from the Vatican archives to be displayed in Tirana at the National Library as part of events commemorating the centenary of independence.
The sword and helmet of Scanderbeg, Albania’s 15th century national hero who for more than two decades kept the Ottoman army away from Albania and the region, came home from Vienna to be displayed in Tirana for 45 days at the National Museum.
Since 2012, Tirana is also featuring statues dedicated to some of the most prominent Albanian figures such as independence leader Ismail Qemali, and patriot Hasan Prishtina, U.S President Woodrow Wilson and King Zog.