In the framework of the International Holocaust Remembrance Day, today, in the premises of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, the activity with the theme “Albanians choose to be saved” took place.

Minister Igli Hasan appreciated the role of diplomats and the efforts of the Albanian people in rescuing the Jews, as he stated that such events serve to remind us that we must work hard, to educate our societies against any kind of hatred and racial, religious, ethnic, etc.

“As I browsed through some documents from the archives, what stands out is that this is about the actions of an entire society. Find there testimonies of diplomats engaged in finding creative ways to grant travel visas to Albania to Jewish citizens from all over Europe. Nothing can justify anti-Semitism. While we rightfully feel proud of this tradition of hospitality and what our ancestors did to save the Jews, the time we live in makes it necessary for us to work for the future and especially for the education of the younger generations”, he said.

The Israeli ambassador in Tirana, Galit Peleg, said that the Israeli people will always be grateful to Albania for their contribution, as she emphasized that the whole world should learn about this symbolic act of the Albanians.

In his welcoming speech, the German ambassador in Tirana, Karl Bergner, emphasized that everything must be done so that history does not repeat itself.

During the activity, original documents of the Central State Archive and the archive of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs were exhibited, for the efforts made by Albanian diplomats of that time to save the Jews.