By Arijeta Reka
Albanian Independence Day took on a new dimension this year as the ALSA team had the privilege of attending the Shpresa Programme's "Shifting the Narrative" event. On this significant day we joined others in celebrating the incredible work of our community.
We got to hear from a wide range of voices in the Albanian community who shared their work and upcoming projects focused on giving back to the community. It was such an amazing experience for the ALSA team to be invited and be a part of the ‘We Belong’ panel discussing Albanian heritage, culture, successes and optimism. Here we had the opportunity to share the story behind ALSA and the incredible work our ALSA volunteers are doing.
What stood out on this occasion was the commitment to challenging Albanian stereotypes across the media and showcasing the community's diverse talents through various initiatives across healthcare, refugee work and education as well as music and poetry. We were joined by the deputy mayor and various councillors who spoke about the integral role of the Albanian community in London. Their support and the role of Shpresa in sharing their platform with us really highlighted the importance of collaboration in our community.
We are so grateful to have been a part of not only a celebration of independence but also a celebration of resilience, community, and the impactful work of the Shpresa Programme.
The stories shared from everyone involved left an unforgettable mark, inspiring us at ALSA to continue our work supporting our community and others, in hope we can shift the narrative.
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