Tirana, Albania - A celebration of the International Day of Families was held in the Peace Embassy in Tirana on May 15. The UN theme chosen for this day, “Advancing Social Integration and Intergenerational Solidarity,” provided framework for the meeting. Since family is dear to everyone and there are daily threats to its well being, organizers hoped to make guests more aware of these issues and become better equipped to face challenges in their own families and surroundings.
There were about 50 participants in the meeting, including several Ambassador for Peace couples couples. It was very heartwarming to see the hall filled with the participants of both genders and varied age, including grandparents and a few children, which conveyed real family feeling.
First, Ms. Marjeta Rroshi, vice president of the Women's Federation for World Peace in Albania, talked about the current situation of families in Albania and the world, pointing to the constantly increasing number of divorces and children living with only one parent. Her presentation, based on research, provided real numbers and statistics which gave an overall view of the current situation and attracted everyone’s attention. It was striking that even though Albanians still consider family sacred, numbers were revealing a very negative trend.
She was followed by Ms. Katarzyna Minollari, president of Women's Federation for World Peace-Albnia, who stated that the philosophy of individualism, prevalent in the current world, is the main reason for the current disintegration of family. She also discussed role of the family as a school of love, in which everyone is challenged to develop their character and capacity to give, and the role of grandparents’ love.
To express appreciation for investing into family relationships and society around, bouquets of flowers were then presented to representatives of three generations of the Rexhepi family: Mrs. Liljana Rexhepi, one of the founding members of the Women's Federation for World Peace and still very active despite her age, her daughter-in-law Mrs. Drita Rexhepi, dedicated board member of the Women's Federation and mother of four, and Daniela Rexhepi, age 7, who used the opportunity to thank her mum for loving her and her grandma for taking care of her “when mum is busy.”
Both the talks and the flower presentation created a very beautiful and uplifting atmosphere, reminding everyone that a family is truly important to individuals and society, and challenging everyone to invest energy to keep it intact. After the official program was over, everybody enjoyed elegantly prepared refreshments and a friendly chat.
Special thanks go to Ms. Kozeta Zavalani, Tirana Peace Council chairwoman, for inviting many Ambassadors for Peace, and to Ervin Doci, for preparing five-star Swedish table refreshments.