Author: Editorial Team

The “Donate Books” Initiative, For Albanians Suffering From Deprivation Of Liberty Abroad

Literature breaks down walls, especially in prison. Based on this, the National Agency of the Diaspora and the Publishing Center for the Diaspora, with the support of the Minister of State for the Diaspora, have undertaken the initiative “Donate books” for Albanian citizens suffering deprivation of liberty abroad. The donated books will serve to create a fund with Albanian books in penitentiary institutions in Greece and Italy, as the prison is not only a place for serving a sentence but can also be literature, study, increasing cultural recognition and interaction.

Currently, 6 thousand copies of art books have been collected which will be distributed in these centers on February 21, International Mother Language Day, to give the opportunity to hundreds of Albanian citizens suffering deprivation of liberty to read in Albanian.

If you want to be part of this initiative and donate books you can contact us at dhuro.libra@akd.gov.al

You can donate art books, themes, etc. There is no limit to the number of books donated.

Professor Kristian Bukuroshi “Grand Master”, An Albanian Erudite Intellectual

Ruki Kondaj
By
Ruki Kondaj

On the morning of January 31, I received some sad news from Ilir Lena, producer of “Albanian Mirror”. Kristian Bukuroshi, the man I have known in Canada for over two decades. I had the great fortune to know him intimately and to have had not only my idol, a great collaborator, but also a great friend of mine and my family.

Prof. Kristian Bukuroshi has an early connection with Canada because his grandfather Mihal Bukuroshi emigrated to Canada around 1908 and is said to have been the first Albanian to touch Canadian soil in Montreal, but not only that the professor’s father has been for several years in Canada and returned around 1960 to Albania, during the communist regime who could no longer return to Canada, where he had begun to build a life, but without his family nearby, while his uncle is the one who invited him for the first time the professor in 1991 and in 1992 came with his whole family his wife, son with family and daughter with family, connection with Canada with 5 generations.

We had heard a lot about Professor Kristiani as a high level intellectual, scientist, but when I got to know him closely I also saw high human qualities and virtues that he rarely finds nowadays, it is the erudite intellectual, the elite of Albanian intelligence that has given so much to Albania as a scientist, prominent mathematician and according to the Academy of Sciences Kristian Bukuroshi is the founder of the discipline of mathematical analysis in the department of specialty mathematics, where he practiced as a university professor. This is the basic subject of the formation of generations of mathematics teachers in high schools and universities, as well as mathematicians. He will be remembered as one of the most capable and rigorous pedagogues, as the very discipline he held in the chair.

Kristian Bukuroshi founded and directed the first research center in informatics in Albania (center of computational mathematics), on the basis of which he realized all the necessary intellectual and professional preparations for the establishment of the first institute in this field in our country, INIMA (Institute of Applied Mathematics), which he led for a long time and very successfully. The establishment of this institute was realized on the basis of a project that gained the attention and financial support of UNDP, the first project in Albania implemented with a budget from an international organization.

At the head of INIMA, as its longest-serving director, Kristian Bukuroshi managed to establish a successful interdisciplinary collaboration in informatics, mathematics, energy, geophysics, statistics, construction, laying the foundations for the numerical archiving of their projects.

Under the leadership of Kristian Bukuroshi, two population and housing censuses were conducted in Albania, which are considered national scientific actions, working intensively with three shifts and with a modest logistical support.

Under the leadership of Kristian Bukuroshi the service he led recognized a cautious opening with the World.

Study of static and dynamic constants of the national energy system and their concrete application.
Complete study of power system failures and improvement of its protection schemes.
Rational distribution of electrical loads, voltage levels, as well as electricity flows in the Albanian energy system.
Problems of safety curves and rational use of water consumption in the Drin River cascade.
Study, design and concrete construction of the software interface, for the emulation of the magnetic tape reading peripheral device with the electronic calculator DJS21.
Eventual modifications of the Algol 60 compiler, adding new procedures.
But I got to know the Professor in community engagement, who has made a valuable contribution for more than two decades to the Albanian-Canadian Association and to the entire Albanian community in Ontario and Canada, for his brilliant ideas, for his wisdom, for his simplicity. immeasurable, kindness, nobility full of precious virtues that the professor as we all called him held. From 2008 to 2021 he was a member of the Honorary Council of the AAC, active participant in many working groups, especially in the working group for drafting the statute in 2012, in the group for the celebrations of the 100th anniversary of Albania’s independence, in the Evaluation group of Albanian and foreign personalities, in the Albanian heritage group which has given a concrete contribution with ideas in drafting standards, documents and materials to be used in the Ontario Parliament’s heritage month celebrations which began as a process in 2014 with the establishment of the working group, was finalized by law on 5 December 2016 and on 8 December received the approval of the Queen’s representative in Ontario (as a rule) where November was declared the Month of Albanian Heritage in Ontario. His work has been so great, but without many words, accompanied by an immense modesty. In 2008 he was chairman of the Kosovo Independence Celebrations Commission, a commission that included all associations in Toronto and its environs. I was lucky to have not only a mentor, but a great friend. The professor was an intellectual who enjoyed listening to his jokingly talked-about conversation, his wise sayings that he referred to as the sayings of the people.

Professor Kristiani was awarded in 2001 with the title “Grand Master” by President Rexhep Mejdani, in 2012 by the Albanian Association of Informatics was awarded a certificate of appreciation for his great work as a prominent mathematician and founder of the Albanian Institute of Informatics.

The Albanian-Canadian Community Association awarded him the title “Honorary Member” in November 2014 for his valuable contribution to the association and the entire Albanian-Canadian community.

As a math teacher who started working directly after a year that came to Canada because as he said himself for a year worked intensively for learning English and was not so young, but 59 years old began the life of immigration that was accompanied by quick integration steps. The professor never retired, officially yes, but in fact not because he taught university students where he prepared them for math exams, as he did for his nephews until shortly before he fell ill. The man who did not leave you any day, all his life and especially the somewhat long time of illness without ever complaining is Mrs. Marika Bukuroshi, his wife and his children and grandchildren as well. Professor Bukuroshi’s family is a very hospitable family.

Although the summer here is short, they both grew a lot of vegetables in their backyard garden and enjoyed where they cooked the vegetables for themselves and the guests, and as good zagorites they made winter zahirs where they kept them in the fridge on the basement (floor house gout). The professor did not like to celebrate his birthday, I learned this well, he celebrated his name day and Christmas a lot. Memories with the professor are so numerous that one writing is not enough. Albania has lost a great intellectual, the Academy of Sciences a prominent scientist who left behind concrete works, the Albanian community in Canada and the Albanian Diaspora lost a valuable activist, our association lost a worthy member and advisor, the Bukuroshi family lost a husband, an exemplary father and grandfather, his students lost the much-needed Mathematics Professor, my family and I have lost a precious and irreplaceable friend. A bicycle accident happened three years ago where the ordeal of medical visits began until he passed away, but the dear Professor will not be separated from the hearts not only of the family, but all of us who loved him and loved us so much a lot. Bent by the pain of the accident, I remember him in the last public appearance at the celebration of the Month of Albanian Heritage in the Parliament of Ontario in November 2017, where the internationally famous soprano Inva Mula was invited, whom the Professor loved and appreciated so much. ill also in the meeting that day offered by the Prime Minister of Ontario at the time Kathlyn Winne in respect for the heritage group and the Albanian Ambassador to Canada SH.TZ

The Albanian-Canadian Association expressed its gratitude, respect and sincere condolences on its Facebook page for the honored professor Kristian Bukuroshi who kept him in charge of the country, never considering him old, neither for his age nor for his many years in the association and in in his memory a wreath was prepared on behalf of all where he was handed over today to his family because it is not allowed to attend the funeral by the President of the association Bujar Zejnullahu and me.

We bow with respect and gratitude for his figure, the work he left behind that will always be in our hearts.

Your eternal memory, dear Professor Kristian Bukuroshi, I will drink that coffee that we can not drink together because of the Covidian situation with eight Marika, in your house without you, but in your memory!

Dr.Ruki Kondaj (National Ambassador)

Honorary President and Chair of the Heritage Group at the Albanian-Canadian Community Association, Toronto, ON, Canada

Croatia / Albanian Footballer Record Speed, Second After Cristiano Ronaldo

Albanian footballer Albi Doka in August last year signed a 4-year contract with the Croatian team, Nova Gorica.

In just a few months, Albi Doka has shown that he has grown a lot professionally, which has made his value in the sports market reach over 1 million euros.

Recently, the defender of the National Team has recorded a very important personal record, referring to the highest speed achieved by a footballer. Doka stopped the indicator at a speed of 37.2 kilometers per hour, for a moment during the last match that Gorica won 0-2 in the transfer to Rijeka.

“I train a lot, there is a very regular regime and we are monitored by the staff all the time. “I think this has affected my professional growth”, said Doka for “Panorama Sport”.

In terms of footballers’ speeds, only Cristiano Ronaldo turns out to be faster than the Albanian footballer Doka. The Portuguese has recorded a speed of 38.06 kilometers per hour in the World Cup “Russia 2018”. So far, this is considered the record speed achieved by a footballer. Doka also leaves behind names like Alfonso Davis of Bayern, intern Ashraf Hakimi or even players like Kilian Mbape or Erling Haland.

Remittances, A Guide To The Development Of Albania

The role and importance of the Albanian Diaspora in Germany in the economic and social development of Albania was the topic of discussion of a virtual meeting organized with the support of the World Bank thanks to the project “Greenpack 2.0”.

The expert on economics at the Minister of State for Diaspora, Fatos Çoçoli brought to the panel interesting data regarding remittances, announcing according to official data that remittances contribute to consumption for more than a third of Albanian families, which are channeled these funds for food, goods, education, health and to a lesser extent, for home furnishing and much less for investment.

He pointed out some problems regarding the remittances of Albanians abroad such as its cost, the informal way of transfers, etc.

“During the last decade 2011-2020, remittances have exceeded every year the level of international development assistance and have been close to the level of foreign direct investment with an annual average of +28 percent and + -11 percent, respectively. The structures of the Minister of State for Diaspora but especially the Diaspora Development Fund and the Diaspora Chamber of Business, in cooperation with the newspaper “Albanian Diaspora” are doing a good job of promoting to the public the ways to reduce costs, increase the delivery of remittances in formal channels and optimizing the use of remittances in the economy “, it was said during the presentation of Mr. Çoçoli.

Diasporas are a critical resource for countries of origin, from an economic and cultural perspective. They can provide financial support and promote their country of origin in the international arena. While their role is often difficult to measure, remittances are just one of the closest people to measuring some of the diaspora impacts. This is especially the case for Albania, where domestic remittances are very important.

Albania has at least 1.2 million migrants or 40 percent of the current population. The value of remittance flows in Albania was estimated at 10.4 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) for 2017, which corresponds to approximately USD 1,595 million, exceeding both foreign direct investment inflows and official development assistance in place.

However, such an important source of funding has a very high cost. Sending $ 200 to Albania costs an average of 8.28 percent, well above the regional average and beyond. Moreover, opportunities to send and receive remittances remain quite limited, as migrants and their families continue to opt for informal remittance solutions. Addressing these barriers is essential in unlocking the full potential of remittances for the socio-economic development of the country.

This event brought together sector experts, regulators and other important actors to promote an active exchange of ideas between the diaspora and the Albanian financial sector.

Italy / Redi Vyshka, Successful Albanian In Startup And Project For Albania

The dream across the Adriatic was Italy in 1998 for Redi Vyshka, where his father was waiting for him and together with his mother and brother he went to the neighboring country. For him, at the age of 7 it was the most beautiful day where they could finally make a normal life together as a family.

Redi did not think that his future would belong to the world of business and management, but the desire for financial independence from the family made him at the age of 15 to do various jobs and who has seen them as added experiences for its current success. He graduated from the University of Economics and Management with excellent grades, believing that you can achieve anything you want. Redi today, along with his two friends is a successful start-up with their “creature” Switcho, a start-up that aims to optimize the fixed costs of Italian households, such as electricity and gas, internet, insurance contracts and other financial products. The company is already spread in Albania and 30-year-old Redi tells “Albanian Diaspora” his intentions in the future.

Today you are one of the successful founders of the Switcho startup, but first tell us a little about your arrival in Italy. How difficult it has been for you, given that you only ran away 7 years old.

I came to Italy when I was 7 years old. My mother and brother and I left on March 24, 1998, shortly after the end of the 1997 riots. We were welcomed by the father who had emigrated to Italy four years before us. I still remember that day, it was one of the most beautiful days of my life, I finally reunited with my father and our family could start a normal life.
Childhood has its dreams, and at your age it has not been easy to change environment, language and culture.

What are your studies and did they fulfill Red’s dream?
I did high school in a Technical Institute, where I specialized as a mechanic. Like other foreign boys living in Italy, I chose this path of study as it was an efficient way to get a job after graduation, in one of the many factories in the area. But I soon discovered that my ambition was to do something else in life.

I was attracted to business, and wanted to get rich and decided to go to university and study Economics and Management. I completed my bachelor studies at Ca ‘Foscari, University of Venice, and then transferred to Milan for a master’s in Bocconi. Milan is a fantastic city, Bocconi a center of expertise and unrivaled networking in Italy. It has been two years of intense growth, sometimes even difficult, in a super competitive context, where I wanted to go out and be the best. I wanted to graduate with maximum grade, I had no money to pay the university fees and the only way to continue my dream was to get the highest grades to guarantee me scholarships. I graduated with 110 stars and won 3 scholarships… it was at that moment that I realized that in life I could achieve any goal I could come to myself.

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Before you achieved this success of yours, how hard was it for you to work and study?

At the age of 15 I found my first job as a picajol and assistant cook, I liked to be financially autonomous and since then I have not asked my parents for 1 euro. For about 8 years I have been picajol in the evening and a student during the day. I have done many other seasonal jobs as a farmer, barn worker, laborer, perfume seller, insurance policy and supplement, and for three summer seasons in a row as a promoter for several clubs in Barcelona. I have always enjoyed all the work I have done, I knew they were temporary and I took advantage of them to absorb as much as possible from each experience. When I moved to Milan at the age of 23, I no longer worked as a picajol or other job and devoted myself entirely to my professional growth. I did 3 months internship in Singapore, a unique experience,

How did you end up in the business world?

After graduation I did an internship at a large international bank, I did not like the way I worked, I saw it not very dynamic. Before I finished my internship, I was hired by a large consulting firm (PricewaterhouseCoopers). I really enjoyed this job, it was a challenge for myself. The projects I was pursuing were interesting, I traveled a lot in Italy and abroad and the salary was also very high. After 4 years of counseling, however, I felt the need to raise the bar, I wanted to get involved myself, I wanted to be an entrepreneur and I wanted to create a successful company.

Let’s say your ambition was crowned with the Switcho project, tell us a little more about it?

In March 2019, together with Marco Tricarico and Francesco Laffi we founded Switcho ( www.switcho.it), which is a digital startup operating in Italy and aims to optimize the fixed costs of Italian households, such as electricity and gas, internet, insurance contracts and other financial products. Our company is innovative because it allows the definition of these contracts in a completely digital way, thus clearly distancing itself from the traditional world that is populated by call centers and physical agents for promoting these types of contracts. We have very ambitious plans for Switcho development, we want to become a benchmark for Italian families to manage and monitor recurring expenses. Furthermore, we are making some preliminary assessments to copy our model in Europe, as some foreign investors have contacted us because they are interested in developing Switcho in their target market. To date, we have about 30,000 clients, we have started billing since the first day the platform was online and we have raised more than 1 million euros in investments (between capital and bank finance). As a workforce, we are 14 people, including 3 associates located in the Tirana office, who are part of our operational team.

How involved is your hometown in this ambitious project of yours?

About five months ago we decided to invest in Albania by creating an operational team of three people led by Brikena Kapaj, which has experience in analogous sectors especially in the set up of new operational teams. For the next three years we have an ambitious development plan in Tirana that envisages a significant increase in the number of resources that will be employed with increasingly technical skills and in various business functions.

Why did you decide to invest in Albania?

I am often asked this question and let us say that the reasons are mainly two: The first is a business motivation, since Albania is an excellent destination to look for young talents, graduates and who speak Italian very well. The cost of the company is really very affordable, with the same skills you can easily find young and adult resources at significantly lower costs than in Italy. While the second is a purely personal motive, as I have always dreamed of being able to help and bring value to Albania. I left Albania when I was very young and although Italy has actually become my new home, I have always had a strong connection to my country of origin. And I tell you when we hired the first resources in Tirana at the end of August 2020,

What would be your advice to young people in the start up world?

In recent years, an interesting startup ecosystem has been created in Italy, with a strong annual increase in both the number of startups and investments, although it lags behind other European countries. In Albania, on the other hand, I saw that the startup ecosystem is in its infancy, with tremendous growth potential and opportunities for many young talents, and you just have to be good at transferring important investments, private and public, this way. I would like to advise young Albanians to look very carefully at the world of digital startups, which allows them to be able to do business without the need (at least in the initial stage) of large investments, but by make their business skills and ideas available./ Albanian Diaspora

USA / Sarah Behar, The Mysterious Singer Of The ’20s Who Sang “Aman Doktor!”

“Aman doctor!” is one of the songs that in the ’20s and’ 40s was sung by an Albanian singer in America identified as Sarah Behar.

According to Canary Records, owned by Ian Nagoski, a music researcher and producer living in Baltimore, USA, among the summaries he has found is the “No news from tomorrow” album, which includes the recording of three women.

of Albanian emigrants of the ’40s

It is about Amalia Bakas born in a Roman Jewish community in Ioannina, Greece who moved to the US in her teens in 1912 and spent decades working as a singer in a nightclub. Victoria Hazan from Turkey who emigrated to the US in 1922 and mainly sang in her synagogue while the third is Sarah Behar which for Nagoski is a bit of a mystery as in her time there are three names registered with this name, but based on the songs sung Albanian may have been from Albania. “We just have no idea who she is, five minutes from her voice this is what we have from her recordings,” says Ian.

Minister Balluku presents the new Tirana-Durrës railway contract: From Tirana to Rinas airport in 12 minutes

Today, a contract was signed between the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy, and the Italian company INC SPA for the construction of the new Tirana-Durrës railway.

Minister Belinda Balluku said that the works will last 30 months, so the railway will be ready in the summer of 2023 and will create 2200 new jobs.

She said that the investment will significantly improve traffic in the two cities of Albania and will reduce the time distance between Tirana and Durres to almost 22 minutes, and that from Tirana to Rinas airport in just 12 minutes.

“The new railway artery will reduce the time towards Rinas airport as well as the traffic at peak traffic times. It will significantly improve the movement in the two big cities of Albania by reducing the travel distance between Tirana and Durrës to 22 minutes and from Tirana to Rinas airport, in only 12 minutes”, said among others Balluku. (TCH)

The President of Yldon Media Group, Ylli Ndroqi and his wife won the battle against Covid-19

Message to doctors and friends: Thank you very much!

The president of Yldon Media Group, Mr. Ylli Ndroqi and his wife Mimoza Ndroqi won the battle with Covid-19.

Two difficult weeks, but thanks to the dedicated care of the doctors and medical staff everything went well.

Therefore, the president of Yldon Media Group, Mr. Ylli Ndroqi, dedicates the first message of heartfelt thanks outside the hospital to the medical staff.

A heartfelt thanks also to the friends, relatives, acquaintances and strangers who were close to him.

Dear Professor Mehmet Tarik Akber,

Greetings from the other side (outside the hospital already)!

For more than two weeks me and my wife’s lives were confined within a hospital room, under the strict supervision of a dedicated medical team, who started and spent the day on covid patients, in serious condition.
Serums, pharmaceutical therapy, scanners, tests, physiotherapy, and long hours of sleep filled the endless moments of a tedious wait to get out of the danger zone.

But in none of those moments were we left alone and no matter how anxious those memories are, will remain forever the most precious to us.

Because those were the days that made us realize the importance of health, kneeling in the face of an invisible virus, but also of the extraordinary dedication of some professionals, whom you have never met, who do not even speak your language and who at any moment challenged the worst, the unexpected, not for one or two, but hundreds of patients caught up in the desire to resist and live.

A heartfelt thanks to the honorable Prof. Dr. Mehmet Tarik Akber, who led a whole group of doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, sanitary workers to whom I bow with gratitude for the care, warmth, support, courage and unstinting kindness they gave us.

In 15 days and nights we went through very difficult challenges, from this disease I lost half my family and the risk remained extremely high for me. My wife had to face a sudden deterioration, which thanks to a timely response from doctors avoided fatal consequences.

Every health worker, who patiently explained to us how our bodies reacted hour after hour and faced life battles in every room of the hospital, miraculously made it easier for us and our loved ones to face the shock of this situation.

Even the restless sanitary ladies, who in addition to the scent of detergents and disinfectants, filled our room with a smile of hope.

Even any medical assistant, who accompanied us in the movements limited by the physical impossibility of the disease, and patiently and sweetly returned us to bed to wish us “good night” as a family member.

There are countless doctors and nurses who today deserve our thanks and gratitude, for the second life they gave us and every covid patient, for the sacrifice in the name of the oath to serve each one as if he were the only patient in that hospital.

Thank you to friends, relatives, acquaintances and strangers, who send me kind words, congratulations and countless messages of encouragement to whom I expressed my gratitude as the healthiest human feeling, as a remedy for the soul.

I wish you all the best and a strong healthy, withloved ones and friends nearby! Thank you very much from the bottom of my heart! (OraNews)

Minister of Culture’s husband passes away

The husband of the Minister of Culture, Elva Margariti, has passed away this Saturday at the age of 49.

It is learned that the cause has become a serious illness from which the husband of the Minister, Artan Asllani, was suffering recently.

The news is confirmed by reliable sources in the Ministry of Culture, which also says that the tributes to the deceased took place at 31.01.2021 at 09:00.

Elva Margariti became part of the cabinet “Rama 2” in December 2018, substituting former Minister Mirela Kumbaro, following a great shuffle PM Edi Rama did to his cabinet only one year after taking the second mandate as Prime Minister of Albania./abcnews