 |
| Pepino Vitti, 83 years old from Bari, Judge at the Bird Festival in Durrës, sources: Reporter. |
At the bird festival in Durrës, members of the Albanian Ornithologists Federation celebrated their passion and highlighted the healing value of singing birds for children suffering from serious illnesses.
The bird competition in Durrës brought together nearly a thousand canaries, competing based on criteria such as color, song, behavior, and more.
However, the number of festival visitors was much smaller than the number of birds presented by the Albanian Ornithologists Federation.
"We should have an agreement with the city municipality for the promotion of our activities," said Edmond Berdaku, a passionate local bird enthusiast.
According to Berdaku, all types of birds should have been presented at this festival, including nightingales, pigeons, canaries, and other bird species.
In the sports palace, where many birds were showcased, unfortunately, children were absent, leaving only parents as the closest visitors to the birds.
Sometimes, at the birdcage stands, children with health problems, accompanied by their parents, approach. It is not uncommon for birds to serve as therapy for young patients, and parents are quite interested.
Pepino Vitti, 83 years old from Bari, told BIRN that a passionate group in his region takes care of children with problems and organizes bird shows with canaries or pigeons in hospitals.
Through pet therapy, they have achieved very good results with handicapped children, leukemia patients, or the elderly, adds Pepino, who has a 50-year passion for birds.
Vitti and a group of Italian friends came to Durrës as part of the international jury for the competition, following the progress of the Albanian Ornithologists Federation from its inception.
The Albanian Federation is also a member of the World Organization of Ornithology, but Vitti emphasizes that the selection according to standards should be more comprehensive.
Everything relies on the passion of bird enthusiasts and exchanges with each other.
Eduard Cara, vice-chairman of the Albanian Ornithologists Federation, says that the Federation has expressed its willingness and capabilities to work with health institutions to contribute jointly with birds, especially near pediatric hospital wards.
"We have Italian experience that serves as an example for therapy for children with health problems," adds Cara, who lives in Bari and Kavajë.
Established in 2016, the Federation of Ornithology is taking its first steps to utilize pet therapy.
Eduard Cara shares his concern about wild birds that are captured and later sold in the market.
"Not far from here, captured canaries are sold in the market. No one disrupts the harmony for this phenomenon," states the vice-chairman of the Federation.
The Sports Palace is filled with the chirping of birds.
Competitions have started near the birdcages, with representatives from Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Italy, and Greece.
Birds are registered accordingly, and the competition is multifaceted, distinguishing singers, colors, behavior, etc.
Singing canaries undergo a special competition in a closed hall, where they are judged one after another.
While the judging is underway, in the palace's surroundings, attention is drawn to Fatjoni, who carries a not-so-small parrot on his shoulder.
Young people seek to take photos with Arens, as the parrot is named, which is larger than average.
Ed Berdaku tells us about two or three other cases of patients cured in Durrës through pet therapy. "It's a miracle to see a patient attached to a caretaker of singing birds," says Ed Berdaku.
Eduard Cara told BIRN that this competition in Durrës is the fifth organized nationwide and has 110 participants. The first three had Tirana as their station, and last year the competition was held in Tirana.
He adds that next year, the competition will take place in Kavajë.