Most importantly, such a cooperation would mark a new opening horizon for the Albanian non-governmental organizations on the cultures of the peoples on the other Mediterranean coast. Our civil society is quite a new occurrence. It was born 19 years ago, following the collapse of the dictatorship. The emergence from the long-drawn stalinist isolation and the fear of the recidive of the past made the new network of non-governmental organizations and the entire politics orient themselves exclusively towards Brussels, both in view of the EU and the NATO membership goal. Now this fear is non-existant anymore. The Albanian non-governmental organizations are mature enough; they have gained experience and are ready to approach the new goal, i.e the Euro–Mediterranean Dialogue.
This dialogue is equally useful for Albania and for all other European countries, both EU member or non-member states But there is another additional ground in the Albanian case, which is explained again with history. For over five centuries, our country was part of the Ottoman Empire, just as the largest part of the countries of the Mediterranean Southern Coast. Such a long co-existence in the same state could not pass without leaving behind its footprints into the spiritual and cultural heritage of Albanians; they could easily serve as common points of contact for more substantial exchanges with the nations on the other side of the coast. The most significant fact in this complex heritage is the Moslem affiliation of nearly 60 per cent of Albanian population. This reality makes the cross-cultural dialogue among Albanians and Morrocoos, Algerians or Egyptians even more significant and more far–reaching all over the Euro–Mediterranean space. Accordingly, being a deeply-rooted European nation, Albanians have multifaceted potentials to serve as a sample in the broad-ranging frame objective of Anna Lindh Foundation for the Inter-Cultural Euro–Mediterranean Dialogue.
The Albanian population consists of three faith communities –Moslems, Catholic Christians and Catholic Orthodoxes.This population presents a unique pattern of harmonious co-habitation among these three communities. There was never any conflict among them in history and no tensions are noted even today. In the context of the current global developments, this represents an example that merits to be generalised. To this end, the Albanian Network has proposed to the Anna Lindh Foundation the organization of a large international conference on religious tolerance in Tirana, in Autum 2009, as a significant part of the cross–cultural dialogue. The further future goal is the organization of a annual conference on this topic, so that the relevant preparations would be associated with wide – ranging researches in this area and with other events during the whole year, seeking the mobilization of the largest possible number of networks in both Mediterranean coasts. The extension of such events on this issue, both in terms of time and geography would certainly help to produce a general climate of tolerance and cooperation.
To conclude with, emmigration is another pending area for Albania, whereby it could render a valuable contribution within the objectives of the Anna Lindh Foundation. Only in Western Europe there are nearly 1.5 milllion Albanian residents, who have left their native country about 20 years ago. Most of them have settled in Greece and Italy, but there are others also in Belgium, Germany, the UK, the Nordic countries and elsewhere. We are convinced that their involvement in a well-structured inter-cultural dialogue, with the participation of their relevant associations, non-governmental organizations of the host countries and Albania, as the country of origin, would serve a great deal their healthy integration to the societies they have chosen to make their own lives.
Albania has already submitted its application for the EU candidate status. It is also member of the Union for the Mediterranean. This is a significant fact that brings to evidence the political facilities of the Albanian network in its cooperation with all other networks that are members of the Anna Lindh Foundation. On the other hand, Albania has not a single unsettled political or diplomatic issue with any of the UfM member states. On the contrary, our country maintains very good relations with all countries of the Southern Mediterranean coast, including the State of Israel and the Palestinian Authority. This positive reality is very helpful for the Albanian networks in establishing wide-ranging exchanges and in cultivating a peaceful dialogue, both with Arab and Israeli or with the European networks, with a view to meet the goals of Anna Lindh Foundation.
Besnik Mustafaj is President of the Albanian Forum for the Alliance of Civilizations,
which is the Head of the Albanian Network of the Anna Lindh Foundation.
