Tourism Business: 2015

Artistic objects in Shkodra

In the framework of the 100th Anniversary of Independence of Albania and creation of the Albanian Armed Forces, this morning, the Ministry of Defence in cooperation with the Municipality of Shkodra conducted the activity for the project “In service of public spaces”. This project is supported by Pen State University, New York Academy of Arts, Ministry of Defence and Municipality of Shkodra.
At this activity attended the Speaker of Parliament, Ms. Jozefina Topalli, Minister of Defence, Mr. Arben Imami, Mayor of Shkodra, Mr. Lorenc Luka, Prefect of the District, Ms. Voltana Adami, Deputy Minister of Defence, Mr. Ekrem Spahiu, representatives of OSCE Office, MPs, generals, and many residents of the city of Shkodra.

The activity started at the square in front of City Hall, where after the performance by the Wind Orchestra of the Armed Forces of the National Anthem of Albania, the opening speech was held by the Mayor, Mr. Lorenc Luka.
Minister Imami, taking the floor at the ceremony said: “In the summer of 2010 began this work. Good jobs take time and think we have devoted the time, effort, dedication of a much larger group of people than are lined up here today; people, who have worked with high dedication, intelligence, talent and creativity”. The process of dismantling of ammunition in mid-2012 was sure that, it would go with that pace towards the end of 2013, and we thought: “Well, we are destroying but, will we be able to show that our Armed Forces can build over destruction? Can we create with the Cold War shells the Flowers of Light and Pavilion of Love for a time of peace, for a time of freedom? We started cooperation with a group of Albanian artists, and invited some professors of the University of Pennsylvania, who came in the winter of 2010-2011 and we decided to bring them to Shkodra. Shkodra was chosen for the placing of these works of art, because it is a city of tradition and millennial cultural layers. “We brought it to Shkodra to do exactly this confrontation of the antiquity of this millennial centre of the Albanians and Illyrians, with a modern deed. Therefore, I am very happy that this is being done in Shkodra. I am happy because all the seriousness, dedication, talent of the Mayor, Mr. Luka, of the City Council and citizens of Shkodra is to preserve this beautiful and wonderful city. For this, we had the full support of the MPs of Shkodra and personally of Ms. Topalli, for which I thank you”, said Minister Imami.
At the end of his speech, Mr. Imami thanked all those who participated in this great work, especially the representative of OSCE in Tirana, for all the support given to the realization of these works of art with parts of the dismantled mortar shells. He also thanked the United Stated of America for all the support they have given to the dismantling process of surplus ammunition, and in particular for the realization of this deed, which, as Mr. Imami emphasized, is a joint deed of the teachers and artists of the University of Pennsylvania and the Academy of Fine Arts here in our country.

The Speaker of Parliament, Ms. Jozefina Topalli, at the beginning of her speech thanked in particular the Minister of Defence, Mr. Arben Imami for this gift made to Shkodra in the 100th Anniversary of Independence. Each work of art is beautiful, it is an additional value, said Ms. Topalli, but the conversion of weapons into works of art is something very special. Therefore, a very sincere thanks goes to the artists who have worked with such love and passion for making such deed. Later, Ms. Topalli underlined the values of Shkodra, noting that this city was born to make art; this city lives for art and has born art. Shkodra has generated great people of history, warriors, ideologists, great men of music, culture, sports, literature, art, photography, stated among other Ms. Jozefina Topalli.
Later, the Speaker of Parliament, Ms. Topalli, Minister Imami and the Mayor cut the inauguration ribbon of the work of art “Flowers of Light” placed in the park in front of the City Hall, and visited the other work of art “Pavilion of Love”, which is placed next to the City Hall. In the end, Ms. Topalli and Mr. Imami, accompanied by the Mayor and many citizens of Shkodra, did a walk along the city’s main boulevard transformed already in a pedestrian walkway.

The works of art inaugurated today in the city of Shkodra, are part of the project “In service of public spaces”. They were conceived by renowned American artists: Prof. John Bowman, Prof. Ann Sholstrom, Prof. Ward Shelley and Helen O'Leary, in collaboration with a group of Albanian artists and under the special care of the Minister of Defence, Mr. Arben Imami. These deeds are realized with materials drawn from the dismantling process of surplus ammunition, being not only wonderful works of art and with urban function for Shkodra, but also carrying a great metaphor, the one of overcoming the ages. They are evidence of the fact that Albania is leaving behind the inheritance of the Cold War, becoming the first country of the former communist bloc, which in 2013 we be finally freed from the remnants of the past.
For the placement of these works of art, a special contribution was given by the Armed Forces, which engaged 20 troops and five vehicles of the Regional Support Brigade and 20 troops of Mountain Infantry Battalion of Vau Dejës.