-Washington DC Branch Joins Candlelight Vigil for Dr. Liu Xiaobo/

– “Communism proved to be a medicine more dangerous than the disease itself.” –Pope John Paul II/

The Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation held an evening vigil to commemorate the legacy of Dr. Liu Xiaobo whose struggle for freedom and democracy inspired those in China and around the globe to stand up to communism both now and in confronting the past.On Monday, July 17, 2017 at 8pm VATRA members gathered in solidarity at the Victims of Communism Memorial in Washington, D.C. to remember Dr. Liu Xiaobo and to send a message of support for freedom and democracy.

This event is especially important to VATRA MEMBERS who share a tragic past with communist dictatorships. We are reminded of the early founders of VATRA who left the comforts of America to help rebuild war-torn Albania only to be executed, imprisoned or tortured. Even today, VATRA continues to pressure the “democratic” governments of Albania to formally condemn the communist regime that ruled the country for nearly half a century; to bring to trial those who committed crimes under communism; to release the secret police files and to return illegally confiscated lands to their rightful owners.

VATRA, the Pan Albanian Federation of America, a nonprofit organization, was founded in 1912 to promote freedom and independence for Albania and love for America and its democratic institutions. To learn more about VATRA, email us gazetadielli@gmail.com