Centennial monument project selected, site yet to be decided

TIRANA, April 24 – Albania has selected the design project for the erection of a monument commemorating Albania’s 100th independence of anniversary although a location for it in Tirana has not been decided yet. An inter-ministerial committee headed by Prime Minister Sali Berisha announced this week, a design project by two Munich-based architects, Kosovo’s Visar Obrija and Germany’s Kai Roman Kiklas. The project had been shortlisted along with another one by an international jury and proved the public’s favourite.
For the designers, the Albanian house has served both as a residence and fortification becoming a symbol of the century-old resistance. To express the idea of independence, the authors bring an open building composed of two parts of a cube with one half holding the roof and the remaining one the platform. This structure has been perceived with length, width and height of 8 meters where people can freely walk through. In the inner sides of the monument, there will be laser drawn elements such as the “Declaration of Independence’ the national symbol of the double headed eagle and human portraits. The open building symbolizes the independence of the Albanian nation, the jump from isolation to freedom and the look into the future.
Some 81 design projects to erect a monument dedicated to Albania centenary independence were submitted by dozens of Albanian and international artists. Sixty artists from Albania, Macedonia, Kosovo the Diaspora and 14 international ones participated in the race.
Culture Minister Aldo Bumci has announced other competitions will also be held to place statues dedicated to some of the most Albanian prominent figures such as independence leader Ismail Qemali, King Zog, and patriot Hasan Prishtina.
Earlier this year, a logo designed by Zeni Ballashi, a Kosovo based ethnic Albanian from Macedonia, was selected to accompany all events Albania is hosting this year as part of the 100th independence anniversary. The winning logo features a double-headed eagle as a jubilee flame resembling to a trophy. It was selected among 25 projected submitted by Albanian, Kosovo and Macedonian artists. The Prime Minister emphasized that this festive occasion is being celebrated with an independent Kosova, describing this “as the reason that makes this jubilee more meaningful for all the Albanians. “If in this 100 anniversary Kosova was not independent, then our flag would fly at half mast. Thus, we celebrate in the most deserved way.”