– The Albanian-Canadian Community Association organized a festive event, which involved many high profile guests, including an Arberesh delegation from Calabria, to mark November as the Albanian heritage month in the Province of Ontario.

More than 28 000 Albanian Canadians in Ontario enjoy today the right to promote and celebrate Albanian cultural heritage after the Legislative Assembly of Ontario adopted last year the Albanian Heritage Month Act, proclaiming November as the Albanian heritage month in the province.  

The Albanian Heritage Month Act was an initiative launched by the President of Honour of the Albanian-Canadian Community Association, Dr. Ruki Kondaj, supported by the Association’s President Ramazan Këllezi as well as other members of the Toronto’s Albanian-Canadian Community Association.

Attending the event, the Ontario Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Laura Albanese, who has an Arberesh origin, said she was proud to speak and submit the Albanian heritage month bill  to the Ontario parliament.

“It was not a surprise I was chosen to submit the Albanian heritage bill because my family name has an Albanian meaning,” she said in her remarks.

A program of Albanian folk dances, a parade of traditional costumes from various Albanian regions, a theatrical performance of the Doruntine, a play inspired by the Albanian legend of Doruntine as written by renowned writer Ismail Kadare, and Albanian traditional food and delicacies brought an Albanian atmosphere among the Albanians in Canada.