Dielli | The Sun

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

EXPANSION TOP OF EU AGENDA AT TIRANA SUMMIT

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Rafaela Prifti/

The enlargement policy was a top priority at the EU and Western Balkans summit Tuesday in Tirana. It comes after officials and leaders met in June 2022 to take stock of progress on key investments under the Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans as well as discuss geostrategic issues. Moldova and Ukraine became candidates for membership with Georgia soon to be added on the list. In July, the EU started membership negotiations with Albania after years of delays. While the EU has repeatedly promised Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia that they have futures within the organization, progress of the six nations has come to a standstill in recent years. Kosovo has signed a Stabilization and Association Agreement and reportedly would apply for candidate status later this month. The main issue for the countries-in-waiting is meeting the EU’s standards on economies and political institutions that are seen as parameters of their readiness for integration into the EU’s single market of open trade and Western democratic ideals.

With regard to the negative effects on energy and food security stemming from the Russia’s war in Ukraine, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced financial support to help countries in the Western Balkans cope with shortages and higher prices. Serbian President Vucic had threatened to boycott the gathering to protest a recent political appointment by Kosova Prime Minister Albin Kurti. While Vucic has made claims of integration of Serbia into the European Union, under his leadership the country continues to not join the Western sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine war.

The newest member to join the block of 27 member nations was Croatia, also part of the Balkan region, in 2013. Since then, the enlargement process of the EU slowed as the founding member nations had no appetite to allow more countries to be integrated into the organization. After almost a decade of stagnation, the war in Ukraine has revived the issue of EU enlargement. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has underscored the strategic importance of the region.

The Tirana declaration issued at the conclusion of the summit reaffirmed the EU’s unequivocal support for the EU perspective of the Western Balkans. “The EU reconfirms its full and unequivocal commitment to the European Union membership perspective of the Western Balkans and calls for the acceleration of the accession process, based upon credible reforms by partners, fair and rigorous conditionality and the principle of own merits.” The topics of energy crises and immigration were also the focus of discussions.

The joint summit with the six Western Balkan countries is the first being held outside the EU. It comes as the bloc fears the countries-in-waiting could start looking for possible alternatives or be influenced by China or Russia.

RECOGNIZING ALBANIAN HERITAGE AS A STEP TOWARDS MORE REPRESENTATION

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Rafaela Prifti/

Tuesday’s Albanian Heritage Reception hosted by NYC Mayor Eric Adams at Gracie Mansion wrapped up a flurry of ceremonies and commemorative celebrations, some hosted or co-hosted by City Hall, to mark the 110th Anniversary of Albania’s Independence. The presence and role of city’s elected officials was a commonality that was carried throughout the weeklong celebrating of a milestone event starting on previous Monday with the honoring of the day at the Council Chamber, followed by Sunday’s symposium and the gala dinner hosted by Vatra, and the flag raising ceremony on Bowling Green, organized by Vatra in partnership with the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs on November 28.

Coming in on the heels of several commemorations of Albania’s Independence, the Mayor’s reception nonetheless elevated further the community’s gratification for being recognized for its contributions. Ornela Beshiri, staff of Assembly Member Nathalia Fernandez, said that “It was an incredibly proud moment to witness the celebration of our country’s independence being held for the first time at the Gracie Mansion. Our history, culture and traditions were well portrayed on this historic day.”

The gratitude flowed both ways as the guest speakers thanked the community for their support including in the recent electoral campaign. In the November midterm elections, two of the guests speakers won their respective races. Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez was elected the next State Senator for New York and Jenifer Rajikumar scored a historic victory by becoming the first Indian American woman ever elected to a New York State Office. Assembly Member Rajikumar acknowledged the Head of her campaign Viola Isufaj as “the secret weapon” for her successful run and conveyed reverence for the great Albanian Mother Teresa whose lifework, she said, is the “embodiment of public service”.

New York City has a unique reputation in welcoming immigrants that are part of its fabric, who in turn draw upon their experiences to make the city “a place for all” as Mayor Adams put it.

Guests, businessman, diplomats from Albania’s Mission to the UN and Kosova’s General Consulate in New York, elected representative from overseas and proud Albanians as well as proud New Yorkers were handed red and black rubber wrist bands, at the entrance, bearing the inscription: Krenar Qe Jam Shqiptar Proud to be An Albanian. Mark Gjonaj, former NYC Councilman and former NYS Assembly member, a promoter of Albanian community greeted the attendees at the Gracie Mansion reception. As the MC of the evening, Gjonaj introduced the guest speakers and several Albanian officials and dignitaries including Albanian representatives and visiting members of the Montenegro Parliament. In his introduction of the NYC Mayor and the host of the event, Gjonaj touted the working relationship with Mr. Adams going back to the time they served in Albany at the New York State Assembly, continuing afterwards in New York City public service positions. In November 2021, Mr. Adams won the race to become the 110th Mayor of the City. At the Albanian Heritage reception Mayor Adams expressed gratitude for the support of the Albanian American community of the city, their contributions in all areas, along with preserving Albanian customs and culture “infused” with the American way of life. The crowd’s applause intensified when the Mayor spread both hands in front of him in a crossed motion that has come to signify the national symbol of the flying Albanian eagle.

Dr. Pashko Camaj, Executive Member of the Pan Albanian Federation of America Vatra appreciates the fact that “the event hosted at “the people’s house” gathered many Albanian organizations from the region as well as notables from abroad in a celebration of this milestone in our nations history.” In addition, he said “the event highlights many contributions and achievements of the Albanian American community to this great City.”

Integrating the cultural component as an important part of the heritage, two folk dancing groups Nora Kelmendi and Barbana were invited to perform traditional Albanian dances. The young Albanian generation of the diaspora is proud of its birth or lineage heritage while also being part of the distinct composition of backgrounds and populations that make up New York City. Dora Nano, NYU student and recipient of the National Gold Key Award from the Scholastics Art and Writing Contest said that “as an Albanian-American child of immigrants, the event felt like a symbolic gesture and honor to the diaspora that has grown here in New York. It was a pleasure to witness this nod to the diversity of our city in such a historic location as well!!” A two hundred year old building nestled in the Upper East Side neighborhood of Yorkville, Gracie Mansion is the Mayor’s official residence dubbed as the city’s “little White House” by Parks Commissioner Robert Moses.

Recognizing our heritage deserves praise but it is a step that should lead towards increasing representation of Albanians at every level of the government. According to Djellza Pulatani of Fordham College, President of United Student Government at Lincoln Center, the takeaway from the reception is about setting a higher bar. “I was deeply grateful and content that we as Albanian-Americans in New York were recognized for all of our contributions and cultivations in this city. Last night’s proceedings were a symbol of the true integration of the Albanian community here. It was a historic night that should set the foundation for the further representation of Albanians in national political spheres.”

Photo by Dora Nano

DITA E TRASHEGIMISE SHQIPTARE, NJE VLERESIM NGA QYTETI QE DUHET TE JETE NXITJE PER PERFAQESIM ME TE GJERE

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Rafaela Prifti/

Kryebashkiaku i Nju Jorkut Eric Adams dha një pritje të titulluar Dita e Trashëgimisë Shqiptare për përfaqësues të bashkësisë shqiptare dje pasdite në rezidencën zyrtare të tij në verilindje të qytetit, Gracie Mansion. Për rreth dy orë në sallat e pritjes së ndërtesës, e cila është monument kulture, qeveritarë shqiptarë, deputetë, nëpunës të bashkisë së Nju Jorkut, anëtarë të trupit diplomatik shqiptar, biznesmenë, zyrtarë e përfaqësues të shoqatave shqiptare shijuan mbrëmjen si dhe shkëmbyen urime për festën e pavarësisë, e cila u kremtuar në tubime e darka gjatë fundjavës së kaluar.

Dita e Trashëgimisë Shqiptare i kushtohej vlerave për të cilat shqiptarët krenohen historikisht si besa dhe mikpritja, thanë folësit që përshëndetën të pranishmit si Deputetja dhe Senatoja e zgjedhur e Nju Jorkut, Natalia Fernandez. Por për shqiptarët e ardhur këtu si edhe një brez i tërë shqiptar-amerikan, që janë “vendali” aktiviteti i dha mundësinë të ndihen në nivelin e shumë komuniteteve të tjera të qytetit të madh. Për Djellza Pulatanin, studente aktiviste në Fordham University, nata e mbrëmshme duhet të jetë “gurthemeli për përfaqësimin më të gjerë të shqiptarëve në sferën politike.” Midis mysafirëve nga trojet etnike të pranishëm ishin Deputi i Parlamentit të Shqipërisë Shpëtim Idrizi, Kryetar i Komunës së Tuzit Nik Gjeloshaj, Zëvendës Kryetar i Komunës së Tuzit Ivan Ivanaj, Ministri ii Administratës Publike Marash Dudaj, Presidenti i Këshillit Kombëtar Shqiptar i Malit të Zi Faik Nika e të :

Mark Gjonaj, ish-anëtar i Këshillit Bashkiak, ish-deputet i Asamblesë së Nju Jorkut dhe promotor për cështjen shqiptare, riafirmoi mbështjetjen e shqiptarëve për Kryebashkiakun Eric Adams, i cili u zgjodh në detyrë nëntorin e kaluar. Duke e quajtur Nju Jorkun “kryeqytetin e shqiptarëve në Amerikë” për shkak të rreth 100,000 shtetasve që banojnë këtu, Adams ritheksoi se ky është vendi “që inkurajon ruajtjen e trashëgimisë etnike në bashkëjetesë me kulturën amerikane.”

Valltarët e rinj të grupeve artistike Nora Kelmendi dhe Barbana sollën në sallë tingujt, koreografinë dhe kostumet e veshjet kombëtare që plotësonin tablonë kulturore të mbrëmjes kushtuar trashëgimisë shqiptare.

Kryebashkiaku Adams, i cili një ditë më parë, ishte në ceremoninë e bashkëorganizuar të Vatrës dhe zyrës së tij për ngritjen e flamurit shqiptar me rastin e 110 vjetorit të pavarësisë së Shqipërisë, e vlerërsoi lart kontributin e bashkësisë shqiptare për begatimin e Nju Jorkut sot dhe në të ardhmen.

Dielli do sjell më të plotë reportazhin anglisht.

70th Anniversary of Fan Noli’s Thanksgiving Prayer at the Massachusetts Senate

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Rafaela Prifti/

The story of Thanksgiving in the United States goes back to a few lines written by English colonist Edward Winslow describing a harvest-time meal held in the fall of 1621 at Plymouth Colony in what is now Massachusetts. It was the 1621 harvest gathering that helped inspire the holiday that was nationally recognized in the 19th century. Last year to mark the 400th anniversary of Thanksgiving, a local Massachusetts museum dedicated to the English colony of Plymouth and local indigenous tribes opened a new exhibit “to better understand the events that led to the first Thanksgiving”, as announced in the press release. Although Plymouth is known as “America’s Hometown Thanksgiving Parade”, several other states claim to have held the first Thanksgiving. There are reports that organizers of the annual Virginia Thanksgiving Festival have long insisted that English settlers in their state were the true originators in 1619 — two years before the Pilgrims held their feast. Sources from Texas to Florida argue that sit-together meals going back to the end of 16th century are in fact evidence that the holiday originated in their states. Some historians in Texas contend that an earlier Thanksgiving was held in El Paso in 1598. The Jacksonville Historical Society in Florida argues the first feast involving Spanish settlers and Indigenous people occurred in 1565.

With respect to the Albanian community it is worth-noting that the first Albanian oldcomers to America were Arberesh who landed in Boston in the mid 1800s. They had fled to Southern Italy between 14th and 18th century to escape the Ottoman invasion.

“The second wave occurred later on when a small body of men from the Southern regions of Albania came directly to America, documented in our library as the second Albanian oldcomers of Boston in the late of 1800s. They were the first recorded Albanians from Albania to immigrate to Massachusetts at this time”, writes Neka Doko of Albanian Chancery at Fan Noli Library and Cultural Center (In Massachusetts, from Pilgrim Fathers to Noli’s Albanian Journey, Dielli Newspaper, November Issue, 2019)

In 1952 Bishop Fan Noli was invited to the Massachusetts Senate to deliver the Thanksgiving prayer:

“We thank Thee, O Lord, for the countless blessings Thou hast showered on us. We thank Thee for the privilege of living in this country of freedom and opportunity. We thank Thee for the privilege of living in this progressive State, where the noble spirit of the Pilgrim Fathers still prevails. We thank Thee for the privilege of living in this city of learning, with its famous schools and universities. We beseech Thee to make us worthy of all these blessings, and enable us to use for Thy glory the benefits we derive from our rich environment. Help us to work for the welfare of the Albanian people, for the salvation of humanity, and for the establishment of Thy Kingdom on hearth.” (Printed in the Senate Journal)

As Noli says in the 1952 prayer, today we are not less thankful for the “privilege of living in this country of freedom and opportunity”. On the 70th anniversary of delivering the Thanksgiving prayer, the preeminent scholar with the highest regard for learning would appreciate and advocate that along with giving thanks on this holiday, we give thoughts to exploring its history through well-informed examination and careful consideration.

KAMPIONATI I KONTRADIKTAVE – KATAR 2022

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Rafaela Prifti/

Kampionati botëror i Futbollit filloi sot në Katar. Nga data 20 nëntor deri më 18 dhjetor ekipet më të mira kombëtare do luajnë për të fituar titullin Kampion përpara spektatorëve në stadiume dhe audiencës sportdashëse në mbarë botën. Për herë të parë në historinë e sportit të futbollit, 32 skuadrat pjesëmarrëse do luajnë në muajt nëntor e dhjetor. Kalendari u ndryshua sepse në sezonin e verës zakonisht qershor – korrik kur është luajtur kampionati, temperaturat në gadishullin arabik arrijnë dhe mund të tejkalojnë 40 gradë celsius. Për shkak të këtij ndryshimi lojrat e rregullta të futbollit evropian u ndërprenë dhe koha e trajnimit të ekipeve kombëtare ishte e kufizuar. Kjo ishte vetëm një nga argumentet në debatet për ngjarjen më të madhe dhe më të shikuar të botës së futbollit. Sipas burimeve mediatike, shikueshmëria e kampionatit arrin rreth një milardë. Katari është vendi me sipërfaqen më të vogël (pak më shumë se 11,000 km katrorë) nga të gjithë pretendentët për vend nikoqir të kampionatit. Midis konkurentëve në vitin 2009 ishin Shtetet e Bashkuara dhe Japonia.

Pavarësisht faktorëve jo të favorshëm lidhur me sipërfaqen dhe mungesën e traditës në futboll, Katari derdhi miliona dollarë për të influencuar votën e kryesisë së FIFA-s. Vendosmëria e vendit të vogël të gadishullit arabik për të treguar veten dhe përkarshi fqinjëve si Arabia Saudite dhe Emiratet e Bashkuara nuk duhej nënvlerësuar. Koncepti tingëllonte ‘fantastik’ dhe akuzat për korrupsion filluan menjëherë pasi lajmi u dha nga Al-Jezeera përpara se të hapej zarfi me emrin e Katarit në konferencën për media. Hetimet e mëtejshme i vërtetuan dyshimet dhe detyruan drejtuesit e FIFA-s të jepnin dorëheqje nën paditë dhe dënimet gjyqësore për pranimin e rryshfeteve të majme nëpërmjet të cilave Katari e bleu me lekë vendin e mikpritësit të kampionatit botëror të futbollit 2022.

Sipas njoftimeve mediale, vendi është “rindërtuar i tëri” për ngjarjen sportive një mujore.

Grupet për mbrojtjen e të drejtave të njeriut kanë njoftuar se mijëra punëtorë kryesisht nga Azia Jugore kanë punuar dhe janë lënduar ose kanë humbur jetën në kushte shumë të rënda pune përfshirë ngritjen e 7 stadiumeve të reja dhe një të rikonstruktuar, të gjithë të pajisur me klimatizatorë.

Një askpekt tjetër në listën e kontradiktave është kriminalizimi i homoseksualitetit në Katar. Presidenti i FIFA-s Gianni Infantino, i cili ndonëse kishte kritikuar mediat që të “mos përziejnë politikën me sportin” mbajti një orë konferencë përpara hapjes së kampionatit, ku e quajti ‘hipokrizi’ qendrimin e disa vendeve evropiane për bojkotimin e ndeshjeve. Por edhe mbrojtësit e të drejtave njerëzore thonë se gjendja e krijuar nuk është faji i lojtarëve dhe se FIFA i ka vendosur të gjithë në një situatë të vështirë. Të gjithë pranojnë se klima e përgjithshme është shumë e politizuar. Për disa historianë si Abdullah Al-Arian, kampionati e ka vendin e vet në Lindjen e Mesme.

Gjithsesi vendet e Gjirit persik midis tyre Katari kërkojnë të fitojnë prestigj dhe kredibilitet politik nëpërmjet sportit dhe me influencën e tyre të fortë financiare kanë blerë ekipe private si Paris Germain në Francë si dhe lojtarë të njohur futbolli në botë. Por për tani në qendër të kampionatit janë vetëm lojrat. Sot ndeshja e parë Ekuador – Katar përfundoi 2-0. Ekipet tona kombëtare nuk marrin pjesë në këtë kampionat. Ndërsa në grupin 2, Shtetet e Bashkuara luajnë nesër me Wales.

Në shumë qytete ndihet atmosfera sportive dhe tifozët kanë organizuar tubime në klube për të ndjekur ndeshjet dhe mbështetur skuadrën amerikane. Në qytezën Hoboken në Nju Xhersi u shfaq një mural i punuar enkas për t’i shtuar jehonën Kampinatit të Futbollit 2022.

Franca eshte fituesja e Kampionatit Botëror 2018.