From 31 May to 7 June, on the occasion of the “Italian Week”, the Albanian capital Tirana became the stage of events, meetings and shows dedicated to the cultural ties between Italy and Albania.
The “Week of Italy” was organized by the Embassy of Italy in Tirana, the Ministria e Kulturës (Ministry of Culture), the Italian Cultural Institute, the Consulate General of Italy in Vlora, the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation and the Apulia Region. The event was part of the initiatives of Tirana European Capital of Youth 2022.
Art, music, theater, dance and enogastronomic excellences were at the center of the initiative. The event also gave space to a theme that historically unites Italy and Albania: the Arbëreshe culture and diaspora.
On May 31, Skanderbeg Square in Tirana hosted a parade of costumes, later used during the show “A masked ball”, one of the many artistic events scheduled, organized by the Teatro Regio of Parma.
The participation of the Apulia Region to the Week of Italy in Albania is correlated to the project “Apulia-Albania, Joint for Future”. The project includes a series of initiatives aimed at encouraging the growth of youth businesses in Albania and Italy, such as economic incentives, exchange programs, joint training, support to internationalization and the organization of exhibitions.
Among its many initiatives,the Week of Italy gave space to contemporary art with the exhibition Promenade by Nicola Genco, hosted by the art center Bunk’Art. The exhibition focuses on the bond between Apulia and Albania, creating a unique artistic bridge that highlights “the inestimable value of the meeting of cultures, the undoubted importance of human relations, the relevant weight of the circulation of ideas, the undeniable usefulness of the exchange of experiences and dialogue.”
Dancer Elisa Barrucchieri held an advanced training workshop on aerial dance, called “Lezioni di Volo”, dedicated to young Albanian dancers. The final dance recital was held on June 4 in Skanderberg Square, under the colonnade of the Opera Theatre of Tirana and with the background of the artistic “luminarie”.
From 1 to 3 June Skanderbeg Square also hosted the theater show “The dinner of San Nicola” with Enzo Toma and Francesco Gravino, dedicated to the Apulian food and wine traditions. Other theater shows included “Plastic Gardens” with Giorgia Cocozza, Carlo Durante, Andelka Vulic directed by Salvatore Tramacere and “For First Love” directed by Elena Bucci and Salvatore Tramacere.
From 1 to 7 June, the headquarters of the Apulia Region in Albania hosted a photographic exhibition dedicated to the Artistic Illuminations of Puglia.
Finally, on June 7 the Italian Institute of Culture in Tirana hosted the meeting “La Cultura Arbereshe patrimonio mondiale della Cultura” with the participation of the Councillor for Training and Work of the Apulia Region, the Mayors of Casalvecchio, Chieuti and San Marzano di San Giuseppe. The event supported the candidacy of the Arbereshe Culture as World Heritage of Culture.
