Vatican, March 26, 2024 – The Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Igli Hasani, was received in a private audience at the Holy See by Pope Francis.

Minister Hasani, on behalf of Albania and the Albanian government, appreciated the efforts of His Holiness and the Catholic Church to preserve peace, stability, and harmony among religious communities, nations, and peoples worldwide.

“The deep appreciation of His Holiness for the example that Albania sets to the world in terms of human solidarity and religious fraternity continues to be an inspiration and guiding light for our country’s ongoing efforts to be on the right side of history,” Minister Hasani emphasized.

During the meeting with Pope Francis, religious harmony in Albania was acknowledged as a very good model for the entire region and beyond.

Albania’s relations with the Holy See are profoundly significant, extending beyond mere institutional connections. The establishment of diplomatic relations with the Vatican in 1991 aligned with the establishment of pluralism and democracy, ushering in freedom for all institutions, including religious ones, and restored the trust of the Albanian people.

This year commemorates a decade since Pope Francis’s historic visit to Albania, who chose to visit Albania as the first country in Europe precisely for Interfaith Dialogue among different religious beliefs in Albania and to pay homage the martyrs of communist regime persecution.