Albanian diaspora

Today’s article in the Italian site, called DireGiovani , (http://www.diregiovani.it/gw/producer/dettaglio.aspx?id_doc=1172) brings to mind my trip to Bologna 2 years ago. I stopped there then, while on the way to Albania, to attend an International conference by ECAS (European Citizen Action Service, headquartered in Brussels) that was aiming at “building networks of cooperation and dialogue between Civil Society and the Public Administration in the enlarged Europe”.

The 2 day event was run under the auspices of the Emilia Romagna region, which has always been ahead of all other Italian regions, in creative endeavors and initiatives, not only locally, but also abroad (I’ve in fact attended other events by them right here in NYC).

While enjoying the conference then, I noticed that among the hundreds of registered attendees there were also a few Albanian names and related NGOs. I had looked forward interfacing with them, but was disappointed since none showed up at this gathering.

What I find interesting now by reading the above and I didn’t know then, is that Emilia Romagna has quite a large and well established Albanian community. It’s the 2nd largest ethnic group in this region, with more than 40,000 registered residents. Among them 8,000 school children and 1,500 university students (500 of them in Bologna alone). The Albanians here come 3rd for entrepreneurial and business activities after the Chinese and Moroccans. These numbers sound remarkable as compared with what is talked about the Albanian diaspora in the US of more than half a million.

Every one knows that the largest concentrations in the States have always been in the Great Lakes area, Massachusetts, and New York, but I was extremely surprised by what I found out when I visited the newly restored Ellis Island Historic site almost a decade ago. Although I cannot remember specific figures, the museum statistics indicated that Albanians are present in every one of the 50 US states, including a large group in distant Anchorage, Alaska.

Wish I could attend the current Bologna seminar, entitled “The Albanians in Emilia Romagna: 16 years of….data, emotions, and reflections” -- its apparent goal is aiming at recognizing third parties contributions, reducing prejudices, equalizing civil rights (eventually allowing also voting privileges), without having to renounce identities, for a truly multiethnic society.

Instead now, I must attend to wrapping up loose ends here in NY and prepare for the next upcoming trip to Albania, where I’ll land shortly. I am also looking forward to some additional company: a long term Italian school friend has decided to come (from northern Italy) to visit me for a week in Tirana, soooo….. keep tuned in!