Cultural heritage has now its little “soldiers”. Following the success of the “Heritage Ateliers” held throughout Albania, from north to south, this time the children who participated in this event were visited by a very special guest.
The Head of the European Union delegation in Albania, Ambassador Romana Vlahutin, became part of the “Heritage Ateliers,” designed and organized by the foundation Cultural Heritage without Borders – Albania. The major of Gjirokastra, Zamira Rami also took part in the activity, held in the secondary school “Urani Rumbo”.
The Ambassador explained to the fourth grade children the importance of preserving the cultural heritage of Gjirokastra. “Your city has a charming beauty that has to be preserved. I and my 11-year-old daughter are going to visit the houses that Cultural Heritage without Borders is restoring. Each of us should do the impossible to preserve this treasure,” said the Ambassador, among others.
Then, Ms. Vlahutin worked together with the children on the build-it-yourself paper model of Babameto House. The paper model is part of the collection “E Ka Kush e Ka,” a series of booklets and other activities that aim to include both children and grown-ups in discovering and rediscovering their cultural heritage as a bridge that connects us to the world around us.
The staff of CHwB Albania presented a short background of the Babameto House and of other monumental houses in Gjirokastra. The paper model of Babameto House and other CHwB – Albania publications invite the children to show their creativity. The direct involvement of the children in creative tasks regarding cultural heritage, beyond being entertaining, provides the children with a great opportunity to increase their imagination and to feel more involved.
After finishing the model, we talked to Boris and Endi, who were among the first ones to finish. Boris was quite creative in fulfilling the task. For sure he has the required talent to become a restoration architect.
As for Endi, he wants to become a doctor, but who knows! He may change his mind. We told him that even the houses of Gjirokastra need some good ‘doctors’. Endi also asked for a file of Cultural Heritage without Borders. We believe that he has already started to fill it.
CHwB – Albania has organized several Ateliers in different cities of Albania, which have been attended by more than 200 children and about 50 teachers and parents.