This conference was organized by: the State Information Security Authority of the former State Security, in cooperation with the Institute of History at the Academy of Albanological Studies, the Institute for the Study of Crimes and Consequences of Communism, the Institute for Integration of former Political Persecutors, the National Historical Museum.
The conference lasted 2 days and was supported by UNDP in Albania and the Government of Italy, within the framework of the project “Commemorate in order to Heal and Prevent”, the Konrad-Adenauer Foundation (KAF), the European Network of Memory and Solidarity (ENMS).
The conference took place at the premises of the National Historical Museum. Those who welcomed the opening ceremony were: Gentiana Sula- Chairwoman of AIDSSH, Academic Prof. Dr. Beqir Meta – Institute of Albanological Studies, Ms. Vasilika Hysi, Deputy Speaker of the Assembly of the Republic of Albania, Mr. Brian Williams – UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Albania, Raffaella Campanati – Secretary General (Italian Embassy), Mr. Bernd Borchardt – Head of OSCE Presence in Albania, Dr. Çelo Hoxha – Deputy Director of the Institute for the Study of Crimes and Consequences of Communism, Klaudia Zerva – Program Coordinator – KAS, Mr. Bilal Kola – Director of the Institute for Integration of Politically Persecuted and Mr. Dorian Koçi – Director of the National Historical Museum.
“This conference will simultaneously project memory and freedom, the lives of Albanians under the dictatorial regime and the claws of the communist system. We all have our moral duty to shed light on that murk in the calvary of suffering that accompanied the lives of many Albanians, who without any evidence were found guilty, and right away were completely transformed into enemies of the people.” said Dorian Koçi, at the opening ceremony.