TIRANA, Jan. 13 – Four Albanian religious leaders, representing all of the country’s traditional faiths, traveled to Paris to march in the solidarity rally paying tribute to the terrorist killings at the offices of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. Their hand-to-hand march as evidence of the religious harmony in Albania was applauded by French citizens for several minutes.
“Gratitude to the four representatives of Albania’s religious communities who amazed Paris and placed Albania on a pedestal. It was a day of strong emotions when Albania brought evidence of its religious solidarity and fraternity which was highly appreciated at the heart of Europe,” wrote Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama on his Facebook profile, posing with clerics.
Rama, an artist-turned-politician who lived in Paris in the early 1990s, also surprised with his look when he turned up at the solidarity march in Paris with blue, white and red pencils tucked into his top pocket, signifying the colors of the French flag.
In an article on his participation, the UK’s The Independent said the Albanian Prime Minister paid a classy sartorial tribute at the Charlie Hebdo Paris rally.
Pope Francis who picked Albania as his first European destination to visit last September condemned the terrorist attacks which left more than a dozen dead, bringing the example of Albania where different faiths coexist in peace.
“I experienced an eloquent sign that the culture of encounter is possible during my visit to Albania, a nation full of young people who represent hope for the future. Despite the painful events of its recent history, the country is marked by the ‘peaceful coexistence and collaboration that exists among followers of different religions,” said the Pope addressing members of the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See.
Albania’s religious harmony is praised in different reports as an example to be followed.
“There were no reports of societal abuses or discrimination based on religious affiliation, belief, or practice,” said the U.S State Department about Albania in its 2013 international religious freedom report.
Surveys show residents of Albania to be among Europe’s least religious people in terms of practicing any of the country’s four faiths, but according to according to the latest 2011 census, Sunni Muslims constitute nearly 57 percent of the population, Roman Catholics 10 percent, Orthodox Christians (the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania) nearly 7 percent, and Bektashi (a form of Shia Sufism) 2 percent. The Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches and Bektashi representatives all maintain that their numbers are underrepresented in the official census. Other groups present include Bahais, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons). The State Committee on Cults reports more than 220 religious groups, organizations, foundations, and educational institutions operating in the country.
Albania’s communist government had outlawed all religion and religious activities in 1967, making Albania the first officially atheist country in the world. Religion was restored in the early 1990s just before the collapse of the communist regime.
