In the framework of the International Holocaust Remembrance Day, in the premises of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs took place the activity “Albanians choose për me shpëtue”.

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 have to work hard, to educate our societies against any kind of racial, religious, ethnic hatred and discrimination, etc.

“While browsing through some documents from the archives, what stands out is that here we are talking about the actions of an entire society. We 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 new 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 gesture of the Albanians.

The German ambassador in Tirana, Karl Bergner, emphasized that we must do everything in our power 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, demonstrating the efforts made by Albanian diplomats of that time to save the Jews.