(21 March 2016) “Albania sadly witnessed the violence and tragedy that can be caused by a forced exclusion of God from personal and communal life. When, in the name of an ideology, there is an attempt to remove God from society, it ends up adoring idols, and very soon men and women lose their way, their dignity is trampled and their rights violated. The changes that have come since the 1990’s have had the positive effect, among other things, of creating the conditions for an exercise of authentic religious freedom. This has made it possible for each community to renew traditions which were never really extinguished, despite ferocious persecution. With this religious freedom has come also the possibility for every person to offer, according to their own religious convictions, a positive contribution; firstly, to the moral reconstruction of the country and then, subsequently, to the economic reconstruction.” Pope Francis pronounced these words during his apostolic visit to Tirana in September 2014. Bergoglio’s journey to Albania inspired director Roland Sejko – an Albanian naturalized Italian – to make documentary entitled “L’Attesa” (Pritja). The journey of Pope Francis served as an excuse for the director to look back on 50 years of Albanian history, in which freedom of religion was forbidden, using images, documents and films from the Albanian archives and those of the Istituto Luce. “I came to thank you for your witness during the communist persecution. Continue to be a sign for your country, and beyond, that good relations and fruitful cooperation are truly possible among men and women of different religions.” This is the central message sent by Pope Francis to the tens of thousands of people who attended Mass in Tirana. The documentary – in part based on the book “Vivere solo per raccontare” by Father Zef Pllumi – will now be presented and screened at the Art House of Shkodra in an initiative promoted by the Italian Cultural Institute of Tirana. The event will see the participation of the director and will be held on March 28 at 5pm (Rr. At Shtjefen Gjeçovi nr. 15). (Red)
