Fatmir Velaj
Ambassador of the Albanian Embassy in Austria
PERSONAL PROFILE STATEMENT
Politician. Arts and culture manager. Painter, photographer, novelist and exhibitions curator.
Internationally well-known creator of cultural policies.
Date of: 31/07/1963 | Citizenship – Albanian
Marital status: Married (with two children)
WORK EXPERIENCE
2017 – 2021 Member of the Albanian Parliament – Secretary of the European Integration Commission. – Member and relator of the Foreign Affairs Commission. – Member and relator of the Commission of Policies on education, media, youth, sports and culture. – Member and relator of the COSAC (parliamentary committees for union affairs of parliaments of the European Union) – Chairman of the parliamentary friendship group to the Austrian parliament – Member of the friendship group to the parliament of P.R. China
2013 – 2017 Diplomatic and cultural advisor of the Albanian Prime Minister (H.E. Mr. Edi Rama) Prime Minister’s Office– Tirana, Albania
2001 – 2014 CEO “FORUM WELTOFFEN INTERNATIONAL” Vienna – Austria
2007 – CEO “VLORA FORUM FOR INTERNATIONAL DIALOGUE” Vlora – Albania HONORS AND AWARDS 2019 Vienna, Austria The president of Austria on recommendation of the Diplomatic Academy and University of Vienna awards the title “Professor”
2014 Cleveland, USA, The president of the city council grants the “Resolution of Recognition” award for the contributions as a bridge builder between cultures
2013 Vienna, Austria The president of Austria grants the higher decoration “Goldenes Ehrenzeichen” (Knights Cross I-st Class in Gold) – order of merit for special services rendered to the Republic of Austria
2012 Tirana, Albania On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the independence of Albania, the Albanian Excellence Committee grants the “Albanian Excellence” award
2011 Brussels, Belgium The president of the European Parliament awards the higher decoration “European Citizen” prize for special merits to the European Union. 2009 Novoli, Italy Won the Foccara – 1st prize for contemporary photography.
2006 Vienna, Austria The government of Austria, grants the right of Dual Citizenship for special merit rendered to the Republic of Austria
2003 Vienna, Austria The minister of Foreign Affairs grants the decoration “Bundesehrenzeichen” (order of merit) for special services rendered to the Republic of Austria.
2003 Saremo, Italy Won the Saremo Arte – 1st prize in contemporary art. WORK Publications / Novels 2016 KREUZTANNE
2017 NILKON 2019 ITAKA 2021 MI MANCHI 2023 MOSSANGA 2017 100 STEPS INTO EUROPE (an autobiography of political and intercultural activities with a preface from Christian Kern – Austrian chancellor) As well 12 catalogs of solo and group art exhibitions. The novels have been translated into German, Italian, Arabic, Greek, Bulgarian, Rumanian, Turkish, Croatian and Hungarian languages.
PROJECT(s)
Projects designed and implemented for placement in public areas: 2012 Europa Plaza Created and realized in the city center of Fier, Albania 2009 Europa Boulevard Created and realized in Pogradec on the lake Ohrid between Albania, North Macedonia and Greece 1997 Charity Campaign Gaming, Lower Austria A charity exhibition of personal paintings. All proceeds were donated to assist regional flood victims.
PLATFORM(s)
Creator and developer of different platforms aiming to improve the understanding between the countries of the EU member states and beyond, such as:
2022 – 2023 Fate Talks – New Ideas for Vlora (15 public conversations held around the city)
2022 My city is my home – International Conference in Vlora
2019 Egypt – a shaping factor for regional stability
2019 Albania – the awakening of a country Exhibition and dialogue forum in the European Parliament
2017 From Vienna to Bucharest – an exploration of the culture and trends of two EU countries.
2016 Sky over sea – International Conference about Tourism. Invited Austrian Tour Operator
2016 A bridge constructed with jpg – Photography exhibition between Italy and Albania
2016 Vlora Economic Forum – Austria and Albania. 2016 Vlora Economic Forum – Germany and Albania.
2015 EU – the aim is the way 2015 XENOS – Living and working in diversity.
2014 EU – between me and you (16 conversations held in the University of Vlora, in Athens, Vienna, Bucharest, Brussels, Tirana)
2014 Vienna Night in Tirana – Vienna State Opera performed in National Opera in Tirana 2014 Austrian National Day – Europa Plaza Fier Dialogue forum, National Cultural Center, Bucharest, Romania
2014 – 2015 European Dialogue (12 conversations on the relationship between EU Member States and Albania) 2006 Albania – Differently seen – Exhibition and Dialogue in European Forum Alpbach
2005 Inside the South’s Blue International art colony, Radhima Beach
2001 Vlora, Vienna and Brussels Exhibition in European Parliament, Brussels, Belgium
PAINTINGS
Presented in different museums and galleries in: PHOTOGRAPHY (Selection) Vienna, Brussels, New York, Boston, Cleveland, Cairo, Athens, Rome, Otranto, Putignano, Polignano, Sanremo, Trieste, Brindisi, Namur, Leamington, Bucharest, Craiova, Scheibbs, Gaming, Wels, Baden, Mödling, Werfen, Ried, Grieskirchen, Piestany, Gostivar, Skopje, Pristina, Tirana, Vlora, Durres, Pogradec, Sarande, etc.
INTERNATIONAL ART EXHIBITIONS (Selection)
Curator 2002 Art improves the time Vienna City Hall Skopje, North Macedonia – National Cultural Centre
2002 Between Danube and Nile Cultural Centre in Vienna Cairo National Museum, Egypt Good Morning, Balkan
2003 Athens – City Gallery of Arts
2004 Bucharest – National Museum Cotroceni
2005 Tirana – National Gallery of Fine Arts
2006 Pristina – National Gallery of Fine Arts
2007 Trieste – City Gallery of Arts
2008 Ohrid – National Museum of Arts
2009 Alpbach – European Forum
2010 The Danube – this river so long and calm. Palais Kabelwerk, Vienna.
2012 Three Countries – Three Colors Melina Art Gallery, Athens-Greece.
2018 ART Mediterranean Vlora City Gallery
EDUCATION
University of Applied Arts, Vienna
2006 Diploma in arts and culture management,
MAS. LANGUAGE(s)
Albanian (native) German, English, Italian.
