Mother Teresa Center, under the umbrella of Our Lady of Shkodra Roman Catholic Parish in Hartsdale, New York, organized on Sunday evening the 24th edition of the Albanian Folk Festival at the Lehman Center for the Performing Arts in Bronx, New York.
In this event, one of the most important events of Albanians living in USA, were performed Albanian songs and dances, were displayed folk costumes from all Albanian inhabited lands: Kosovo, Albania, Montenegro, Macedonia, including Presheva Valley in Serbia and Chameria in northern Greece.
The mission of this festival is to identify, document and present the Albanian national folklore, keep the Albanian community united, regardless of the religion or region.
The festival aims to preserve and support the Albanian music and folklore, as well as to ensure that they continue to exit and are conveyed to future generations.
Festivali ne USA4It offers to the Albanian and American spectators an unbelievably rich mosaic of folklore, in the form of costumes, songs and dances.
Although it is organized by the Mother Teresa Center of the Albanian Catholic Church Our Lady of Shkodra, this festival is far from a religious event. Nor is it confined to Catholic Albanians.
On the contrary, all Albanians, including Muslims and Christian Orthodox, are often mixed in the same musical or dancing group.
It is a festival that always amazes the participants with different surprises. It is a cultural celebration that manifests the rich culture of the Albanian community.
Festivali ne USA 2The group “Rozafati”, with the choreography of Angjelina Nika, performed the dance of the highlands and dances with motifs from the south, while a group from New Jersey performed dances with motifs from Struga; the renowned “Bashkimi Dance” group, with the choreography of Bashkim Braho, performed dances with Chami motifs.
Famous singers such as Gëzim Nika, Merita Halili, Hajro Ceka, Agron Maqellara, Kino Gara, Nik Carku and Fitore Mamaqi were invited to sing in this festival.