Vatican Secretary of State for Relations with States and International Organizations, Mons. Paul Richard Gallagher held a meeting today on March 20, 2023 with the Presidency Board of the Interreligious Council of Albania, which was held at the Headquarters of the Muslim Community of Albania.
The meeting was attended by the leaders and the highest representatives of religious communities in Albania, H. Bujar Spahiu, chairman of the Interreligious Council of Albania and at the same time chairman of the Muslim Community of Albania, His Grace Asti, Assistant of Archbishop Anastas, Mons. Angelo Massafra, president of the Episcopal Conference, H. Dede Edmond Brahimaj, World Grandfather of the Bektashis, Pastor Ergest Biti, president of the Evangelical Brotherhood of Albania, Mons. Arjan Dodaj, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Tirana-Durres and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Genti Kruja, General Secretary of the Interreligious Council of Albania. The meeting was also attended by the Apostolic Nuncio in Tirana Mons. Luigi Bonazzi.
The meeting started with a presentation of the history of interfaith harmony and the Interreligious Council of Albania by the General Secretary Mr. Kruja and then the chairman Mr. Bujar Spahiu and the leaders of the religious communities welcomed Mons. Gallagher. They have emphasized not only the interreligious harmony in Albania, but also the problems still unresolved by the Albanian state, such as the case of the non-return of properties confiscated by the communist regime, for which the religious communities have been waiting for a solution for more than three decades in democracy.
Mons. Gallagher appreciated highly the contribution of the religious communities in Albania and the model of the Interreligious Council in promoting harmony and interreligious dialogue not only in Albania, but also beyond. He also mentioned the appreciative messages of Pope Francis during his visit to Albania for this model and brotherhood.
