Vlorë, Albania—UPF-Albania celebrated the UN Global Day of Parents on June 1 along with International Children’s Day (also June 1) and the UN International Day of Families (May 15).
The combined festivities were organized by the Vlorë Peace Council together with the local chapter of UPF sister organization Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU). The event was held at Pavarësia (“Independence”) Private University, which has gained partnership status with the Vlorë Peace Council since hosting most of its activities in recent years.
Professor Vitori Hasani, one of the first Ambassadors for Peace appointed in Vlorë, moderated the event. She greeted the more than 80 participants and introduced the first speaker, Professor Bilal Shkurtaj, chair of the Vlorë Peace Council. Professor Shkurtaj spoke about the history and the meaning of these global days and emphasized the importance of healthy families and healthy societies.
After him, Mr. Gani Rroshi, president of FFWPU-Albania, spoke on “Creating a Family-Friendly Culture.” Citing international and domestic statistics, he pointed out the immediate risks to the family in Albania.
As usual, the words of Dr. Niko Veizaj caught the attention of the participants, combining Albanian wisdom and his experience as a longtime Ambassador for Peace. He spoke on “Woman as the Foundation of Peace in the Family and in Society.”
The final speaker was Hon. Gaqo Apostoli, a founding member of UPF-Albania and a former member of the UPF Global Peace Council. He is famous for his eloquence as well as for his artistic abilities. He spoke from his heart, saying, “We should all go by the power of love,” and then sang a moving rendition of “The Power of Love.”
The meeting concluded with the appointment of 12 new Ambassadors for Peace, most of whom were exemplary and respected couples carefully selected by the Vlorë Peace Council leaders Professor Bilal Shkurtaj and Dr. Eva Cipi.
More pictures and a short TV report on the event can be found at the UPF-Albania page on Facebook (FPU Shqiperi).