Speaking on the International Volunteer Day at the 10th anniversary of the volunteer initiative “Fundjavë Ndryshe” (A Different Weekend), Rama said Albania had chosen humanity at a moment when others hesitated.

“Charity is not a gesture or a moment. It is discipline,” Rama said, adding that true generosity lies not in giving what is surplus, but in opening oneself to others and seeing oneself reflected in them.

Referring to the evacuation of Afghan civilians after the fall of Kabul in 2021, Rama said Albania acted when many countries did not.

“It was a moment when America withdrew, taking NATO with it. People who had been promised a different life were suddenly left behind. And suddenly everything ended for them,” he said.

Rama said Albania became one of the few countries to open its doors to displaced Afghans, at a time when many were rejected elsewhere.

“We became the only country that opened its doors to Afghans who, to put it bluntly, were too Muslim to be welcomed in many other NATO countries, or were not considered a sufficient burden,” he said.

“Despite being one of the smallest and poorest NATO members, our spirit could not be smaller than that of those richer and larger than us,” Rama added.

The government head also praised “Fundjavë Ndryshe”, calling it a “moral institution” that has helped shape a new culture of solidarity in Albania.

He commended the organisation’s founder, Arbër Hajdari, and the volunteers who have supported the initiative for a decade.

“‘Fundjavë Ndryshe’ is a gym of hope and a trainer of the discipline of charity,” Rama said, adding that sustainable goodwill and trust in the future can only be built through continuous commitment.

/r.e/a.f/u.sh/