Independence celebrated with joy
Kosovo is the youngest independent country in the world today. It has just been four years since it declared itself a sovereign state from Serbia. On Sunday, Albanians in the US gathered at the New York City Ballroom to celebrate Kosovo's independence day, with much fanfare.
Amost 88% of Kosovo's population is Albanian with a mosaic of other nationalities accounting for the rest. The Albanian Cultural Center in New York, took the opportunity to celebrate with a confluence of Americans and Albanians attending the event.
The Center is founded by a group of Albanian -Americans who seek to preserve and promote the rich and diverse Albanian culture and language, while transmitting these values to younger generations.
Sunday's celebration was a tribute to hundreds of years of Albanian culture and the new found freedom of the Kosovo people. About 200 Albanians attended the event that was organized in New York for the second time.
President of the Albanian Cultural Center in NY, Shaban Gjoka, said the event was held in February since it is considered a holy month for the people of Kosovo, who after much tribulation, gained independence.
At the Center, interactions between the Albanian diaspora and the American community, help the former become good citizens of the US, while retaining their Albanian culture and withstanding the forces of radicalism, bigotry, racism and extremism.
Rifat Halili,an Albanian American enthused participants at the event to blend into American culture while enriching it with Albanian values.
Consul of the Republic of Kosovo in NY, Valeza Oruci, was overjoyed to spend time celebrating with fellow Albanians in the US, one of the countries that gave Kosovo strong support during its struggle.
Special performances by senior folk music groups, delighted the crowd as did ebullient dances by young children.
The night drew to a close with an Albanian dinner as guests sampled a smorgasbord of Albanian delicacies, transporting them to a distant land through its elegant cuisine.
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