The President of the Macedonian Alliance for European Integration (MAEI), Vasil Sterjovski, took part in the International Peace Summit held in Tirana, dedicated to the topic “On Religious Coexistence in Albania.”
At the international gathering, Sterjovski spoke as the president of MAEI and a political representative of the Macedonian community in Albania, emphasizing that religious coexistence represents one of the significant values of Albanian society that must be preserved and passed on to future generations.
In his address, Sterjovski highlighted that Albania stands as an important example of coexistence among members of different religious communities.
“Here, people of different faiths have lived side by side, shared joys and hardships, built families, communities, and a shared society. Here we learned that diversity is not a threat, but a richness,” Sterjovski stressed.
Speaking about the Macedonian community in Albania, he pointed out that Macedonians have lived in harmony with the Albanian people for centuries and actively contribute to the social, cultural, educational, and public life of the country.
He particularly highlighted the example of the great writer Sterjo Spasse, of Macedonian origin, who through his work left a significant mark on Albanian literature.
“This is the message we want to convey: our identities should not be walls that divide us, but bridges that connect us,” Sterjovski stated.
Continuing his speech, the president of MAEI also spoke about the importance of preserving peace and interfaith as well as interethnic coexistence. He emphasized that peace and coexistence are not given once and for all, but require constant care, dialogue, and responsibility.
Sterjovski warned that political, nationalist, and geopolitical interests could contribute to creating distrust among communities, stressing that attempts to instrumentalize ethnic and religious identity must be met with dialogue, transparency, mutual respect, and the strengthening of democratic institutions.
“We believe in an Albania where the church and the mosque are not seen as symbols of division, but as part of a shared societal mosaic,” he noted.
In his speech, Sterjovski also touched upon the European future of Albania, emphasizing that the European Union represents a shared future and a space of peace, justice, human rights, and respect for diversity.
He stated that MAEI strongly supports the European and Euro-Atlantic integration of Albania and expressed hope that its path toward membership in the European Union will be completed as soon as possible, with the support of European and American partners.
The International Summit in Tirana was dedicated to promoting peace, interfaith dialogue, and respect for religious and ethnic diversity as the foundation for a stable and democratic society.