TIRANA, June 25 – Albania’s former Ambassador to Japan has become the first Albanian national to receive an Imperial decoration for his contribution to the strengthening of Albania-Japan relations as well as promoting Japanese language and culture in Albania.
At a conferment ceremony held in Tirana last week, Japan’s ambassador to Albania, Makoto Ito, awarded Bujar Dida, Albania’s former Ambassador to Japan “The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star,” a decoration awarded by the Emperor of Japan to individuals worldwide in recognition of a lifetime of dedicated service to creating better understanding of Japan around the world.
A chemistry professor and a diplomat, Dida, 57, served as Albania’s first resident Ambassador to Japan for more than seven years until early 2015. He earlier served as the first Honorary Consul General of Japan to Albania for a 9-year period until 2009, having devoting the last 18 years of his life to building strong and friendly relationships between Japan and Albania, which Ambassador Ito said “so much helped to shape the first bridge of friendship and understating between Japan and Albania.”
“Mr. Dida has shown a lifetime of dedicated involvement in Japan – Albania relations, becoming through the years a vital supporter of opportunities for exchange and understanding between our governments, parliaments, institutions and people. I believe that the ultimate success of the relations between Albania and Japan relay on the dedication and efforts of people such as Mr. Dida,” said Ambassador Ito as quoted in statement’s by Japan’s embassy in Tirana.
In addition to enabling his level-visits to Tokyo and Tirana, Dida’s support was also vital in creating a partnership between the Polytechnic University of Tirana and Japanese universities and research institutions, enabling the exchange of academics, scholars, professors and students between Albania and Japan.
Dedicating the award to all the officials, colleagues, friends and relatives who stood by him and supported him over the years, Ambassador Dida described the establishment of the Japanese language curricula at the Polytechnic University of Tirana as one of his greatest achievements.
“A hundred students who have benefited so far in learning Japanese, as well as others that will follow in the coming years, will be guarantee that bilateral engagements for further development of tourism and business will turn into reality,” said Dida.
Albania’s deputy Foreign Minister Etjen Xhafaj described the recent visit of Albania’s foreign minister to Japan, the “Western Balkan Cooperation Initiative” launched by the Japanese government last February, and the support by the Japan International Cooperation Agency, JICA, over the years as evidence of closer cooperation between the two countries.
Japan officially opened its embassy in Tirana in mid-2017 with Makoto Ito as the first resident ambassador to Albania since the two countries re-established diplomatic relations in 1981.
The world’s third-largest economy has been a major donor to Albania through its difficult transition from communism to a free-market economy. Tokyo has given millions, primarily in the rehabilitation of infrastructure and healthcare facilities.
Projects have included a municipal waste-water treatment facility for Tirana and its surroundings, the donation of more than 130 Japanese-made hybrid and eco cars to the Albanian government, support to education in remote areas and sustainable land development in the key Tirana-Durres regions through digital mapping most recently.
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