Held under the slogan “Preserve, Attract, Create”, the three-day festival will feature panel discussions, artistic events, podcasts, workshops and other activities across the three communities, with a focus on turning Arbëresh cultural heritage into opportunities for local development.

One of the festival’s main venues will be “Muzé – Spazio Arbëria” in Pallagorio, with activities also taking place in Carfizzi and San Nicola dell’Alto. Organisers said the communities would be presented not as isolated realities but as part of an interconnected area sharing a common identity and vision.

The programme will focus on three main areas: territorial marketing and tourism, relations with Albania and Kosovo, and innovation. Organisers said the Arbëresh language, traditions, collective memory, gastronomy, art and landscape could serve as resources for new projects, tourism experiences, partnerships and local economic activity.

Among the artistic initiatives is “OPEN ARBËRIA”, a public art project by Arbëresh artist Michele Giudicissi. The project will transform the doors of homes into artistic and narrative surfaces featuring words, symbols, images and memories from the local community. It will also include activities and workshops for children and young people.

The festival will also feature “Arbëria Digital Fest OFF”, a programme of visits, workshops, music, art and gastronomy taking activities directly into the communities.

For younger audiences, “Arbëresh Remix” will combine traditional Arbëresh songs with contemporary music in a performance by Calabrian DJ Giovanni Salerno. Musicians Enzo Iovine and Pietro Curci, as well as storyteller Rocco Marco Moccia, will also take part.

Another part of the programme will focus on “POP ARBËRESH”, a podcast featuring stories and voices from Arbëresh communities. A special episode will be recorded during the festival, bringing together participants from the three-day programme and connecting different generations, territories and experiences.

Organisers said the festival was intended to generate projects and partnerships extending beyond the three-day event, strengthening links among Arbëresh communities, Albania, Kosovo, the wider Balkans and the diaspora.

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The doors of Arbëreshë houses have been painted, each one telling a specific story and transporting visitors back through the centuries.

Along the town’s historic centre, doors transformed into works of art preserve the collective memory of the Arbëreshë community, southern Italy, restoring dignity to abandoned homes long covered by the dust of neglect and creating a journey that leads towards the preservation of Arbëreshë identity and cultural heritage.

“Dyert çë fjasën”, known in Italian as Porte Narranti (The Narrating Doors), is an innovative cultural and social project aimed at revitalizing and preservation of historic centres and supporting tourism development.

The project is funded by the Calabria regional government and is based on an idea conceived by Graziella Di Ciancio within the municipal administration of San Benedetto Ullano.

It brings together artists and local communities to leave a lasting imprint on the area’s history and has the potential to act as a driver of economic development, drawing on the past while looking to the future and strengthening local traditions.

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The initiative follows a new agreement between Italy’s Council of Ministers and RAI to promote Arbëresh culture.

The programming, which will run for 13 months, is part of measures under Italy’s 1999 Law 482 and the National Service Contract, aimed at protecting historic linguistic minorities.

Details of the radio and TV schedule will be announced at a press conference at RAI’s headquarters in Cosenza.

Local media have reported that one of the programs will include Arbëresh language lessons.

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Begaj met with Arbëresh residents in several Calabrian towns, including Andali, Marcedusa, Cervicati, Mongrassano, Plataci, Santa Caterina Albanese, Frascineto, San Demetrio Corone, San Benedetto Ullano, San Cosmo Albanese, Castroregio and Cerzeto.

“The Arbëresh community is a bridge between Albania and Italy, between the past and the future, between identity and full integration,” Begaj said, calling the centuries-old diaspora a living testament to enduring ties between the two countries.

The Arbëresh are descendants of Albanians who fled the Ottoman conquest in the 15th century. They have preserved their language, traditions, and religious rites for generations.

Begaj urged community members to continue passing down their linguistic and cultural heritage. “Each time a child hears a word in Arbëresh, each time a grandparent tells a story in that language, something precious is reborn,” he said.

The Albanian head of state highlighted prominent historical figures of Arbëresh origin, such as poet Zef Serembe and independence activist Terenc Toçi, describing the community as “guardians of identity, language, culture, and spiritual tradition.”

Begaj also underscored joint efforts by Albania and Italy to nominate the Arbëresh cultural legacy—known as the “Great Vow” (Moti i Madh)—for recognition by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage. This includes religious rites, traditional costumes, and the preservation of the Arbëresh language.

As part of the visit, Begaj announced that three Arbëresh towns will install statues of Albania’s national hero, Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg, in their central squares.

Calling for stronger bilateral ties, Begaj encouraged greater economic cooperation and cultural exchange between Calabria and regions in Albania. He called for initiatives to promote student exchanges, artistic collaboration, and business partnerships in tourism, agriculture, and crafts.

“I believe in the strength of this friendship, in the strength of this brotherhood, and in the three flags behind us—of Albania, Italy, and the European Union,” Begaj said. “Together, we are stronger and will coexist forever.

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In addition to cultural connections, Begaj emphasized his visit’s broader purpose: deepening economic cooperation between Albania and Italian municipalities and regions.

The Albanian head of state called on Italian leaders and investors to view Albania as a strategic gateway for investments across the Western Balkans.

“Albania is a country committed to peace and regional harmony, focused on prosperity for the entire area,” Begaj said.

He also expressed gratitude toward Italy for its longstanding hospitality to Arbëreshë communities and post-1990 Albanian migrants, highlighting Italy’s role as Albania’s largest trading partner and key advocate for EU integration.

In a statement to the Italian media, Begaj highlighted the historic and strategic partnership between Italy and Albania, underscoring NATO membership, robust economic and trade cooperation, as well as cultural and educational exchanges between universities.

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“As soon as I walked in the new municipal building, the pictures depicting the narrow cobblestone alleys promptly reminded me of Kruja,” President Begaj said.

“It is great to see how the spiritual connection of Arberesh community with the motherland has been expressed through architecture too. All this, along with preservation of the rites, culture, Arberesh language and traditional clothes is unique,” the head of state went on saying.

President Begaj pledged Albanian state support for the efforts of Arberesh community to preserve language and cultural heritage.

He also expressed gratitude to Cerzeto Mayor for hosting and helping immigrants who flee their countries to escape conflict, violence and persecution.

Albanian President is on an official visit to Italy’s Calabria region at the invitation of the Regional Institute for Arberesh Communities.

The Arbëreshë, also known as Albanians of Italy or Italo-Albanians, are an Albanian ethno-linguistic group in Southern Italy, mostly concentrated in scattered villages in the region of Calabria and, to a lesser extent, in the regions of Abruzzo, Apulia, Basilicata, Campania, Molise and Sicily.

Arberesh are the descendants of Albanian refugees who fled Albania, and later some from Morea between the 14th and the 18th centuries following the Ottoman conquest of the Balkans.

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To honor the head of the Albanian state, the Arbëreshi people in Civita had organized an official welcome at the Municipal Council. During the meeting, there were exchanged opinions about identity, the nation and the future as well as about solving problems and strengthening relations between Albania and Calabria.

On behalf of the local residents of Civita, the Head of State was also welcomed to the church of Civita by the vicar of the church, who addressed the President in Arbërishi language saying: “When you entered this church, you entered the core of faith of Arbëreshi people”.

The history of the community is engraved in the bas-reliefs of this church, which was built in 1510.

Meanwhile, the mayor of Civita praised President Begaj for this visit to Calabria.

The Head of State himself responded by reminding a given word kept.

“The given word is rather important for the Albanian. Some time ago I made a first visit here in the Calabria region and all the mayors wanted me to visit their municipalities. I promised that I would come again because it is impossible to see all the communes and municipalities of Arbëreshi people in Italy in one visit. And today, I am very happy that I fulfilled this wish of the mayor and of course for the emotions obtained today, from the generosity of the citizens of Civita, from the hospitality, the songs sung in Albanian and their clothes. This is very important for me”, said Begaj.

President Begaj also expressed gratitude for neighboring Italy, which, as it opened its doors to the Arbëreshi people, showed the same approach to Albanians with aid during the difficult years after the 90s, welcoming emigrants who came out of isolation and later integrating the Diaspora of Albania.

During his stay in Civita, President Begaj also visited the ethnographic museum, where the history of this community was shown through clothing, paintings and documents.

“Civita, with its authenticity in architecture, has inspired the great Albanian painter Ibrahim Kodra, who internationalized the Arbëreshi identity through the reflection in art of the houses of this municipality”, said Begaj.

All this living historical evidence, according to President Begaj, should be passed on to the younger generations.

President Begaj appreciated the contribution that the Arbëreshi people have made to the nation, while he promised that he will always be by their side to continue with other concrete steps that serve to preserve the Arbëreshi language.

“Arbëreshi people are an important part of our nation’s memory. You are a rare example of preservation of identity, history, language, culture and rite”, said President Begaj./p.s./

The head of state will hold a series of meetings with residents in Arberesh communes and Italian local authorities.

This is Begaj’s second trip to Calabria following his first official visit last October, focusing on the initiative to preserve and promote the Arberesh language and culture.

The visit coincides with the 100^th death anniversary of Anselmo Lorecchio, an Italian lawyer, journalist, politician, poet and writer of Albanian descent, founder of the La Nazione Albanese newspaper, and author of several literary works in praise of the independence of Albania.

The Albanian head of state will also attend a ceremony to inaugurate new monument of the National Hero Gjergj Kastrioti Skënderbeu as part of the effort to materialize identity history and convey to the future generations.

The Arbëreshë, also known as Albanians of Italy or Italo-Albanians, are an Albanian ethno-linguistic group in Southern Italy, mostly concentrated in scattered villages in the region of Calabria and, to a lesser extent, in the regions of Abruzzo, Apulia, Basilicata, Campania, Molise and Sicily.

Arberesh are the descendants of Albanian refugees who fled Albania, and later some from Morea between the 14th and the 18th centuries following the Ottoman conquest of the Balkans.

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On the Arberesh Day, an event taking place in the framework of the Diaspora Summit in Tirana, Princi said that Italy and the region of Calabria in particular have been a safe haven for the Arberesh community, an ethnic and linguistic Albanian minority.

“Italy has strong ties with Albania, because it is home of one of the largest Arberesh community for over five centuries. More than 60,000 Arberesh people live in 33 communes in Calabria region alone. The history of Calabria’s Arberesh community has an ancient origin and shows the drama of the Albanian refugees that fled their homeland to escape from the Turkish persecution in the end of 1400s. Italy, and Calabria in particular, have been a safe shelter for the Albanian communities to escape from religious repression launched by Turks back then,” she said.

However – Princi added – the Arberesh also represent an excellent and wonderful example of integration and tradition in Italy.

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From October 20 to 23, President Begaj will meet Arbëreshi residents living in the municipalities of the provinces of Catanzaro, Cosenza, Crotone, as well as hold meetings with local authorities.

During the meetings with the local authorities and representatives of the Arbëreshi community, he will address topics related to the historical and cultural ties between Albania and the Calabria region, the need to protect the Arbëreshi language, the possibilities of cooperation in the field of tourism with the Calabria region and the areas where the Arbëreshi people live as well as the investment opportunities of Calabrian businesses in various fields in Albania./p.s./