President Bajram Begaj was present. It is the largest in Italy
A bronze equestrian statue depicting Giorgio Castriota Scanderbeg, an Albanian national hero, was inaugurated in San Basile, in the province of Cosenza.
The statue, six meters high and the work of the Albanian sculptor Ardian Pepa, is the largest of Scanderbeg ever created in Italy.
The inauguration of the statue was attended by the President of the Republic of Albania, Bajram Begaj, who is currently visiting Calabria to meet the Arbereshe communities.
“I have lived these days in Calabria – said President Begai while meeting journalists – with a particular emotion. There is history, there is culture, there is always something that makes the arbereshe proud of themselves. Seeing so many children, young people and elderly people singing in Albanian, wearing our traditional clothes, was something extraordinary. The tree of friendship between Italy and Albania has deep historical roots and we must cultivate it to develop it further in the future. I would like to thank, in addition to the President of the Calabria Region, Roberto Occhiuto, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani for his closeness. We had a very fruitful meeting with him and we also celebrated the centenary of the death of Anselmo Lorecchio, an illustrious figure who over a hundred years ago had conceived the idea, more relevant today than ever, of a united Europe. With Minister Tajani we spoke about our strategic partnership, but also about the cooperation between Italy and Albania which has its roots in history. A cooperation that will continue into the future.”
“Today was a day of great celebration – said the mayor of San Basile, Vincenzo Tamburi – for our community. I am grateful, on behalf of all citizens, to President Begaj for his presence and availability.”
