During the “Bread and Heart” festival, Prime Minister Rama welcomed architects from around the world to the beating heart of Tirana.

“Today, we embark on a new journey—not to carve a space for building architecture, but a space of spirit, where architects should be heard,” said Rama. “Heard not just for what can be built, but for what the next movement might be—whether it should be embraced or left behind, the next step to take or avoid, the next challenge to face or let go. Someone might ask whether these dilemmas are about architecture, life, or something else entirely.”

Replying to that question, Rama stated that he perceives no clear boundaries separating them.

“When I talk about architecture, I see very few things that lie beyond its reach. Maybe I’m wrong or simply biased, drawn in by the allure of architecture and the minds behind it. Still, I can say confidently that listening to genuine architects and exploring their creative journey offers an exceptional form of education beyond the classroom for anyone involved in policymaking. To understand the forces they face—both from nature and human will—is to gain a deeper understanding of how decisions are made, to navigate the delicate balance of compromises from the conception of an idea to the fragile reality it must survive. This process doesn’t break reality but preserves it with pride. It’s a master plan of resistance for anyone committed to shaping their own vision,” Rama concluded.

Rama emphasized that “we are here to put a strong bet on architecture as a catalyst in a society where relationships—both spiritual and territorial—must be negotiated and renegotiated, learning from the past and confronting the future.”

“In fact, we have found a name for the space we have begun to create—the ‘Bread and Heart’ festival. We also chose a motto: ‘Please bring a little salt.’ The phrase ‘bread, salt, and heart’ represents the sacred Albanian hospitality triad that has preserved the traditional spirit of this land and our code of honor, which calls on us to welcome friends by sharing everything we have—but never less than bread for the stomach, salt for the flavor, and most importantly, heart for their safety,” Rama said.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister characterized today’s event in Tirana, featuring a formidable gathering of architects, as a bold endeavor to embrace the future—a future that has momentarily paused to bring a festival to life.

Prime Minister Rama stated, “Beyond the vision and motto, this festival also carries the mission of shaping a destination and a future here in Albania, alongside bread and heart. It is for architects but also touches on what stirs, troubles, angers, provokes, and inspires them. There is something unsettling, yet it raises important questions. The common word now seems elusive, as if individualism is curing some ecological chambers while what is shared is slipping through our fingers. Not necessarily out of malice, but through destruction, fatigue, and forgetfulness, we have forgotten how to listen, how to disagree in order to create, how to build without dominating, and how to share without suspicion. Those who salvage the common word often do so to sow deeper divisions, to maliciously separate, to create boundaries,” declared Prime Minister Rama.

[a.g/sm/