Dielli | The Sun

Albanian American Newspaper Devoted to the Intellectual and Cultural Advancement of the Albanians in America | Since 1909

It’s about Love for Albina and Familja Kelmendi at Eurovision 2023

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Rafaela Prifti/

The new singing family in Europe are the Kelmendis. Selected to represent Albania at Eurovision 2023, Albina & Familja Kelmendi performed the song Duje on stage after wining the public vote at Festivali i Këngës. The gifted vocalist Albina grew up in a house of professional musicians in Peja, where she was born. The love of music was passed down from her parents Albana and Bujar to the children Albin, Vesa, Sidorela and Albina. At 16, she reached the finals of “The Voice of Albania” in 2014 and has been winning in song contests across Europe. Albina has performed with her family in their own band. She has released her debut album “Nana loke” in April 2022.

Albina performed alongside her parents and siblings in the second semi-final on May 11 in Liverpool. The song written by Eriona Rushiti and composed by Enis Mullak, the duo that collaborated previously in the song “Ktheju tokës”, the Albanian entry for Eurovision 2019.

Albania made its debut at the Eurovision Song Contest back in 2004. Anjeza Shahini’s “The Image of You” reached 4th place in the semifinals and landed in a respectable 7th place at the grand final. Since then Albania has reached the grand final nine times. In 2012 Rona Nishliu’s song “Suus” finished the contest in fifth place reaching the top 5 for the first time.

This year’s 37 entrants were narrowed down to the finalist field in Liverpool, the city hosting the event for Ukraine, which won the contest last year but is still fighting Russia’s invasion. Inside the arena the contest had gathered about 6,000 fans inside the arena and tens of thousands more at a Eurovision fan zone at Liverpool’s docks and at big-screen events across the U.K. The global television audience has been estimated at 160 million. Some of the favorites included Swedish singer Loreen, winner of 2012 Eurovision, Finland’s performer and other standout acts.

Eurovision’s famously complex system of jury and public votes determine the winner. The finale was shown Saturday on members of the European Broadcasting Union and on the Eurovision YouTube channel while in the United States, it was on NBC’s Peacock streaming service.

Founded in 1956, Eurovision is regarded as a European cultural institution.

Gjendja në Kufi, Kërkesat për Azili Politik pas Pandemisë

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Rafaela Prifti/

Shtetet e Bashkuara po vendosin kufizime të reja për të penguar hyrjen e padokumentuar të emigrantëve në vijën kufitare jugore duke krijuar një proces të ri të kërkesës për azil politik në formë elektronike. Gjatë vitete të pandemisë, duke nisur nga muaji mars 2020, u aktivizua ligji 42  (miratuar në vitin 1944) sipas të cilit kufizimet për hyrjen e emigrantëve bëhen në emër të mbrojtjes së shëndetit të popullsisë. 

Në mesnatë Ligji 42 u bë i paefektshëm. Dhoma e Përfaqësuesve miratoi kufizime të reja për azilantët. Përpara hyrjes në fuqi të tij, emigrantët që kalonin kufirin ilegalisht, kërkonin azil dhe lejoheshin të hynin nga Meksika në Shtetet e Bashkuara. Pasi futeshin në sistem dilnin dhe prisnin të kalonte çështja në procedurën e sistemit të emigracionit. Me hyrjen në fuqi të ligjit 42, emigrantëve ju mohohej e drejta e azilit. Sipas të dhënave të zyrtarëve, gjatë kësaj kohe, emigrantëve ju është refuzuar hyrja 2.8 milionë herë. Përjashtimi ishin fëmijët e pashoqëruar. Megjithatë për ata që arrinin ta kapërcenin kufirin nuk kishte pasoja. 

Administrata Biden provoi t’a shfuqizonte ligjin 42 por gjykata nuk e lejoi. Me heqjen e masave mbrojtëse të COVID-it në janar, u njoftua se edhe kufizimet në kufi do eliminohen. Për shumë vite Kongresi nuk ka miratuar asnjë lloj reforme të emigracionit. Administrata ka njoftuar se tashmë do të ketë pasoja për kalim të paligjshëm dhe se shkelësve përveçse do t’ju ndalohet hyrja për 5 vjet, mund të jenë edhe subjekt i procedurave gjyqësore. Gjithashtu administrata nuk konsideron rastet e azilantëve që nuk kanë kërkuar azil në vendet nga kanë kaluar ose nuk e kanë bërë kërkesën në formë elektronike që në fillim. 

Grupet për mbrotjen e të drejtave të emigrantëve i kanë kundërshtuar këto rregulla, të ngjashme me atë të administratës së mëparshme dhe të papranuara nga gjykata. 

Zyrtarët amerikanë njoftojnë se do pranojnë deri në 30,000 në muaj nga Venezuela, Nikaragua, Haiti dhe Kuba, në rast se plotësojnë kushtet e mëposhtme: kanë paraqitur kërkesën në formë elektronike, vijnë me aeroplan dhe kanë një sponsor. Përndryshe, rojet dhe nëpunësit e emigracionit do t’i kthejne në kufirin me Meksikën. Autoritetet deklarojnë se do pranojnë 100,000 në Shtetet e Bashkuara nga Guatemala, Hondurasi, Salvadori që kanë familjarë këtu dhe kanë mbushur formularin elektronik. Edhe emigrantëve nga vende të tjera ju kërkohet të plotësojnë formularin në aplikacion. 740 individë lejohen në aplikacion për ditë. Ky numër është rritur në 1,000 në ditë. Zyrtarët thanë se do hapin 100 qendra rajonale në vende si Kolumbia dhe Guatemala për të vlerësuar çdo kërkesë ku individët mund të kërkojnë vendbanim në vende të tjera si Kanada dhe Spanjë. 

Për familjet, rregullat parashikojnë që kryefamiljari të mbajë një mjet monitorues, të ketë orë policore 11 me 5 dhe emigracioni do të vendosë brenda 30 ditëve nëse familja mund të qëndrojë apo do kthehet mbrapsht. Ky proces aktualisht vazhdon me vite. 

Stacionet apo pikat kufitare nuk kanë kapacitete të mjaftueshme për dydje të mëdha. Si rezultat, rojet në disa pika ku ka shumicë me njerëz ose qëndrime shumë të gjata kanë liruar një pjesë të emigrantëve që janë grumbulluar në kufi. 

Burimi: njoftime zyrtare, AP news 

Father Nikodhim gets a Farewell from NY St. Nicholas Orthodox Church to start as Bishop of the Albanian Archdiocese in America

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Rafaela Prifti/

On Sunday the congregation of Saint Nicholas Albanian Orthodox Church hosted a farewell luncheon for their pastor Father Nikodhim. His service as a priest at the Jamaica Estate section of Queens, New York covers more than one fifth of the actual dedication of the building in 1970. He carried on his duties as cleric for thirteen years but he had started two years earlier as reader, sub-deacon and deacon. For all of it, “Father Niko’ as the congregation calls him received praise on Sunday in the remarks delivered by church officials and statements expressed to me by families who have been through all life stages with him by their side. A young couple, Viktoria and Joseph Hamlin, whom Father Nikodhim wedded the week before, were there to show their gratitude as they will forever cherish him and the day of their union before God, family and friends. “We shall miss Father Niko,” says Agathia Luka, a contributor, friend and long time supporter of the church along with her late husband Ilia Ylli Luka. The same sentiment is echoed by Lou Fundos, President of Parishioners, James Liolin, Chairman of the Church’s Council and many members, old and new. Professor Ardiana Miçi of Fan Noli University, Korca flew from Albania for her father’s funeral in New York, in 2017. She keeps in her heart the comforting words of Father Nikodhim who delivered the eulogy. Both of her sister’s children were baptized by him. Sitting at the cafeteria downstairs the church where she came to listen to the Sunday service marking the end of his tenure, Professor Miçi says that her nephews feel a close connection to Father Niko. The children find him approachable and personable. “I believe I can say from my family’s experience that he is a father to all people,” she says. That analogy was visualized when children of the Sunday school wrapped their arms around him as they gifted him a book of pictures they put together along with a custom made coffee thermos for his travels. Father Nikodhim is leaving this month to go to Albania, where he would continue his work with the church and learn more conversational Albanian.

He will return in the fall in his new position as the Bishop at Saint George’s Orthodox Cathedral, Boston and of the Albanian Archdiocese in America. For the clergy, it is very important that the canonical rites are observed from the nomination to the ordaining. The Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America, in its fall 2022 meeting under the presidency of His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon received the Albanian Archdiocesan nomination of Igumen Nikodhim (M.Div.’07) as diocesan bishop. Earlier he was elevated to the dignity of Archimandrite and was named Administrator of the Albanian Archdiocese. During the celebration of the Divine Liturgy in November of last year, His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon following the liturgical rites elevated Father Nikodhim’s rank. Later that month, when he kindly accepted the invitation to be a guest of honor at Vatra’s celebration of Albania’s Independence, we congratulated him for the new role in the church. According to Orthodox Church of America, with regard to his nomination as bishop, the Holy Synod will take steps to canonically elect and ordain Father Nikodhim to the episcopacy in September 2023.

“The community has grown and he has grown with it,” said James Liolin as he gave his remarks trying unsuccessfully not to show his emotions. Bitru Haile, a Queens based parishioner, who is originally from Ethiopia, and a Kenyan family of four, also New York residents, who has joined the congregation on “Father Niko’s watch” are grateful for him and wish to see him visit back soon. Adriana Topore, the Church Secretary didn’t speak at the luncheon but her husband Andrea spoke with admiration for the priest of St. Nicholas. For her part, Adriana joyfully feels proud for “the Albanian community to have created another Bishop – Bishop Niko.” Relying on her experience and time working with Father Nikodhim, Jennifer Brehl of the Church’s choir shared moments of laughter and truth nuggets that get discovered when one is curious and asks questions.

On the topic of findings, it was revealed that the ordination of Evgjenios (Eugene) Shkurti, Albanian born and seminarist, to the Holy Diaconate by Archbishop Mark took place at Saint George’s Cathedral in Boston on April 23. It is an important moment for the church that could also be a signal of what’s to come.

Father Niko spoke briefly at the end of Sunday mass promising to come back to the church. During the part of the service when he invites children to ask questions as they learn about faith, he unassumingly delivered the message of what church means to him. One could almost miss it. “This is a place where helpers come to help each other,” he said to them. It is the belief with which he embraced the service that took him from Nathan Preston, born and raised in Northern Idaho, to being tonsured with the name Nikodhim in honor of the Holy Martyr Nikodhim of Vithkuq and Berat.

In Memoriam Frederik “Fred” Stefani – Tribute to the Human Side of Immigration

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Rafaela Prifti/

Frederik Stefani is a good example that denounces the false dichotomy of America as either a nation of immigrants or a nation of laws. He believed that it is possible to advance an immigration system that is both humane and effective. As anti-immigration bills sweep through the country, it is fitting to highlight his legacy and pay tribute to him as a person.

When The Migration Resource Center was honored with the GuideStar Gold Seal of Transparency in 2022, its founding Executive Director Frederik “Fred” Stefani wasn’t there to enjoy the moment with his team of associates and friends. He had passed away on September 4, 2021, at age 53. The recognition of the services provided by the nonprofit center was a credit to all the members and volunteers and their ongoing work since its founding in 2015. To receive it a year after Fredi’s passing was especially meaningful. It validated the motivation for such a project, namely “to give families and individuals in need the best possible opportunity to succeed,” as Sue Burns, MRC Grants Program Manager puts it.

While Fred’s legacy of service continues to be an inspiration, his friends and colleagues have had to cope with the sudden and premature loss of the Albanian American who made an imprint on their lives. They miss his warm personality and effortless charisma. In the recorded videos of Fredi, as he was known affectionately, “his spirit and inner warmth come through,” they say. At least one short video recording of Fred was shared by his relatives with me so I would be able to get “a sense of who he was as a person,” since I didn’t know him personally.

His story begins in Tirana, Albania. He was born there in 1968 to a loving family. He was orphaned at a young age when his father passed away leaving behind Fred, his three sisters and a younger brother. Growing up in a family of modest financial means made for a difficult childhood. Fred Stefani went to Petro Nini High School in the early 90s. His graduation coincided with the collapse of the communist system that had ruled Albania for half a century. Stepping up to provide support for the family meant putting on hold his own dream of graduating from college. In the 1990s he migrated to Greece as did droves of Albanians driven by the need to improve their lives. Fred worked off jobs he could find including construction and farming. Most of the earnings went back home to his mother and siblings as supporting the family was the primary purpose of his immigration. While doing menial work, Fred put himself through school and learned the language. Not only did he believe that the key to a better future was a good education, he put it to practice.

When the opportunity presented itself to leave Europe and go to America, he was ready. Drilon Burda is among the family members that recalls how “Fredi often recounted the story of crossing the Canadian border at midnight over a stream on the US side and how he got himself to a bus station and then to his destination.” It is a story shared and experiences by thousands of migrants in search of a better life at a high cost. These daring exploits had a profound impact on him and formed the foundation of Fredi’s character, his friends say. So much so, that he turned it into his life’s mission to provide support and resources to people with similar experiences and challenges.

He was 20 years old when he moved to America where he first settled in Florida doing different jobs. After a few years Fred Stefani moved to St. Louis before arriving to New York. He got married and started a family in Staten Island. When he graduated from American Public University with a Bachelors of Science in Legal Studies, he had worked in the immigration field for over 15 years serving with various organizations, including Catholic Migration Services of the Diocese of Brooklyn and others. One of the jobs he worked early on was at the Catholic Church in Brooklyn. There he found his calling to help migrants through the complicated steps of filings documents and following through processes to become documented citizens. Concurrently Fred put himself through school and completed his education with the intention of starting a non-profit focusing on immigration issues. Hundreds of families particularly in the Albanian community benefited from the services provided by various agencies thanks to Fred’s relentless efforts. To him “It was personal,” relatives say, because behind every application or filing, there was a dream of a family to live in America legally, there were individuals with touching stories who face challenges and obstacles that is a commonality of humanity.

In 2015 Fred Stefani founded the Migration Resource Center on Staten Island where he served as its Executive Director. Under his guidance, the organization grew into a strong and valuable member of the nonprofit sector on Staten Island. He served on the Board of Directors of the Staten Island – a Not-For-Profit-Association and was a member of the American Bar Association and New York Immigration Coalition.

A person of deep commitment and hope for a better future, Fred Stefani devoted his career to helping families and individuals by resolving their immigration and tax issues. His professionalism as an immigration legal counselor changed the lives of over 1,000 clients who came to the Migration Resource Center door in a desperate situation, hoping to find a solution. He served each client with devotion and compassion, working days, nights and weekends just to prepare the best case which would bring the long and much desired legal papers.

In her remarks Sue Burns, the MRC Grants Program Manager at the time, remembered the weekly meetings and “how deeply personal each client was to him. They weren’t just clients; they were people with families, hopes, and dreams,” she said. Fred’s drive to help the younger generation touched many students, interns, and volunteers whom he mentored at the Migration Resource Center. Paying tribute to his innovative leadership and kindness towards his colleague, Burns said that Fred Stefani “always led by example and aimed to build a team that thrived on trust and respect. He created a community around his work and impacted each member for life.”

Reflecting on Fred’s legacy, Board Member Guranda D’Souza, who met Fred at the Catholic Migration Services right after Christmas and days before the New Year 2016, recalled his unrelenting enthusiasm with which he approached and tackled the tasks at hand. “He was a consummate relationship builder, hospitable, generous in every way but above all, he was passionate about helping those in need! She credited Fred’s vision and determination for the work and achievements of MRC. What stands out most, in her view, is Stefani’s legacy of service. “I strongly believe the ripple effect of his life’s work and his friendships will continue to have a far-reaching impact across the world. Migration Resource Center will continue to operate and provide services to its clients and community.”

Fred experienced immense satisfaction when among the letters of immigration received in the mail were Approvals of the Application by a family or individual. Often his associates would see the ‘boss’ tear up while holding the Immigration letter in his hands. He deeply understood and appreciated the significance of that piece of paper – a triumph achieved through sacrifices and a victorious moment for the people who fought and risked so much to get at this point. On occasions, it even seemed like Fred could perform miracles in the sense that he could find a way to deliver results for some families who had struggled many legal battles in and out of courts and had come up short, going through various lawyers and being strained financially had finally in desperation resigned to staying undocumented.

Such work validated his years-long sacrifices and personal struggles which not only made him very proud but also motivated him to work tirelessly. His friends and family relatives recall the moment when, holding back the tears, Fred gave them the good news: “I did it! I opened the business!” At 47, he had opened the Migration Resource Center in Staten Island as founder, president and CEO. To this day MRC continues to pursue its mission and serve the community https://www.migrationusa.org/ After Fred’s passing in 2021, the Board appointed Victoria Apostol-Marius and Tom De Kesel as the Interim Co-Executive Directors.*

They all miss him dearly. The conversations on various topics, the humor injected in daily communications and most of all the inherent kindness for helping others. While his absence is felt deeply at the center, the work he started goes on. Viktoria Apostol-Marius who worked with him for five years said that she “joined the Migration Resource Center in August 2016, almost a year after its inception. I came on board as a volunteer and helped with establishing important parts of the organization. In terms of memories from the time when she first came on board, Viktoria said: “I remember feeling good about joining the Migration Resource Center at an early stage of its existence as I was given the opportunity to contribute to building it. Frederik or Fred, as we used to call him, was the master of all trades. He was wearing different hats while helping those in need of immigration services and building something to last. He had a vision for the organization. This was inspiring and it motivated me to stay active. I even returned back to the Migration Resource Center after a short period of absence.” I asked Viktoria what she appreciated the most about working with him. She said that she “appreciated the freedom that Fred was giving to his colleagues and how he built a work environment based on trust and respect. His passion for helping others was phenomenal and a driving force to grow as an organization and community.” Lastly I asked the Interim Co-Director at Migration Resource Center about carrying the legacy expressed in the mission stated on its website “to stabilize families and create strong neighborhoods. Her response was “I feel honored, but I also feel pressure. I know what Fred’s vision was for the Migration Resource Center and I am dedicated to executing it and expanding it, as we keep the Migration Resource Center’s door open for more individuals and families, who need immigration and tax assistance.”

Family is at the center of his lifetime. Fred was a dedicated husband to Anila and an outstanding father to their daughter Yona. Since early on, the primary focus of the couple was her education. Because he loved law, Fred would bring Yona, who was in her early teens then, in the office, with hope that she would pursue a similar course or go in that direction. They enjoyed traveling and did a lot of it. The three of them were aware that the family bond is a precious gift. It was a defining feature of his character that extended beyond the members of his own kin as evidence by the compassion and care with which he treated other’s people’s families, relatives say.

Father Nikodhim of the Church of Albanian Orthodox Church in Jamaica Estates New York who made the announcement of the passing to the congregants, described Frederik Stefani as “a tireless advocate for the poor and dispossessed. In this role as in all those avenues of his service, he sought to meet those in need where they were, helping countless numbers of refugees, exiles, and hopeful newcomers settle and become acclimated in this great land. His was a voice of hope to the discouraged, a hand of help to the downtrodden, and the gift of a smile and warm embrace to those in need of welcome and assurance.”

Anila Stefani’s godmother, who had a close bond with Fred since his childhood days in Tirana, summed up his guiding principles in life: Work hard and dream big! Frederik Stefani did both within the time that he had.

*Victoria Apostol-Marius and Tom De Kesel are currently Co-Executive Directors at MRC Staten Island, New York

Despite improved rankings in Southeast Europe the 2023 RSF Index shows media in dire situation

by

Rafaela Prifti/

On The World Press Freedom Day, Washington Post in partnership with Reporters without Borders held a live special event with Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and top journalists about the state of global freedom of press. The speakers strongly emphasized that “to stand for Press Freedom means standing for journalists.” Media watchdog – Reporters Without Borders (RSF) warned that journalists across the globe are coming under unprecedented attacks from governments.

In its annual report, released earlier today, the RSF said authorities were becoming more aggressive and emboldened towards reporters. Clayton Weimers of the RSF US Bureau in Washington DC cited the remarks of the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the eve of World Press Freedom Day to underscore that “all our freedom depends on press freedom”.

Index is an annual assessment from Reporters Without Borders (RSF) about the state of journalism in 180 countries and territories. Dielli attended the live event and submitted questions in writing with respect to the state of the press freedom in Albania.  

The report ranks Albania in 96th place in 2023 that is up from 103rd place in 2022, but the RSF states that “editorial independence in Albania is threatened by partisan regulations, and journalists are victims of organized crime and, at times, of police violence, worsened by the government’s failure to protect them.” Kosova is ranked in 56th place, North Macedonia 38th.

The event highlighted that 2022 was a difficult year for journalism. According to the RSF, 55 journalists and four media workers were killed at work in 2022. The year 2023 is especially “volatile’ said Weimers, Chief of RSF, US Bureau due to the increased aggressiveness by authorities towards journalist and disinformation. Digital platforms and social media have made it easier for extremists and bad actors to push false narratives and harass journalists. “The emerging technologies such as AI are used by state propaganda to dilute the truth and muddle the water,” said Weimers. Ultimately their purpose it to sow distrust in the media.

Secretary of State Anthony Blinken weighed in on the vital importance of democracy as the bedrock of the press freedom. To shore up support for the journalists and to protect their invaluable work, Secretary Blinken said that the administration has dedicated more funding and programs such as Media Freedom Coalition, Media Freedom Fund.   

According to the 2023 World Press Freedom Index, the United States ranks 45th out of 180 countries and territories. The top five places are Norway, Ireland, Denmark, Sweden, Finland.