“Woman, the Soul of Our Ethnographic Treasures,” an Event for National Cultural Heritage Day Featuring Rare Folk Costumes from North to South, from Ulqin to Çamëria, from Kosova to Calabria
For the second consecutive year, the Office of the President of the Republic hosted the event “The Woman, the Soul of Our Ethnographic Treasures,” as part of the National Cultural Heritage Day celebrations.
This event was organized under the careful guidance of the First Lady, Armanda Begaj, with the goal of promoting Albanian traditional costumes, and honoring and preserving ethnographic heritage.
Participants included influential women in Albanian cultural life, ambassadors and their spouses serving in our country, as well as personalities from various artistic fields.
Traditional costumes from all regions of Albania, Kosova, and Arbëresh costumes displayed their diversity and originality along with their cultural and artistic values. Miss Globe 2024 contestants, representing the beauty of their respective countries, gracefully donned these traditional Albanian costumes.
These exquisite Albanian costumes, a testament to the early development of artistic craftsmanship, knowledge of weaving, and embroidery, were admired by a global audience thanks to this fashion show.
During her welcoming speech at the event, the First Lady, Armanda Begaj, stated, “Albanians have inherited a rich legacy of traditional garments over centuries, which have been shaped through various processes of historical, social, and cultural development.”
The First Lady particularly praised the women who undertake the reproduction of traditional costumes, zealously preserving their authenticity.
“Even in completely new conditions, the desire to identify through traditional costumes remains strong among many young Albanians wherever they are in the world,” said Mrs. Begaj, emphasizing that everyone contributes to the preservation and transmission of cultural heritage.
“We have the opportunity to zealously preserve, enrich, and spread our material and spiritual culture, our Albanian ethnography. Let us use our rich and ancient history as a foundation to stand proud at all times, proud of our nation. Let us do this for future generations.”
After viewing the parade of folk costumes accompanied by regional dances, attendees shared their impressions, opinions, and experiences regarding ethnography, conservation, and Albanian cultural heritage.
