Research materials

Ten years ago the International March for Peace “Një Popull Lëviz Për Paqen, Kundër Gjakmarrjes” “A people walks against blood feuds” in Albania, organized by #OperazioneColomba together with Albanian civil society, ended in Tirana. In those days Sara wrote:

Dozens of local authorities welcomed us and listened to us. We met hundreds of people during the march, we left them messages of peace, reconciliation, hope. I experienced a Dove that lives and by living brings life. He lives by choosing not only to live with those who are forced into a conflict but for them he sets himself in motion, it is creative energy that sometimes creates space, other times springboards, other times a concrete alternative. We traveled through northern Albania, as Italians, saying that we were there for peace for the Albanian people, to propose forgiveness as an alternative to blood revenge. This movement, together with the concrete commitment asked of the institutions and the stories told of other courageous peoples, is a creator of life. The faces of those who met us were sometimes sceptical, other times curious, many changed expression into a decisive smile, as if to tell us “here you are, we were waiting for an alternative, for violence to be given a specific name”. Once again I discover that humble presence, that standing next to me that generates movements: fear decreases and hope grows. Small movements that generate big changes.

Regretfully, the COVID-19 pandemic had no mitigating effect on the blood feuds phenomenon in Albania. During the month of June, three men have been killed due to past feuds. In 2012, during a demonstration against this practice, the volunteers of Operazione Colomba metaphorically compared blood feuds phenomenon to a virus, since the mentality which originates it can spread easily and cause an endless number of deaths. (more…)

“Al di là del mare” (Beyond the sea) is the video directed by the students of the Scientific High School ‘Da Vinci’ in Trento. The report describes their educational journey in Albania with Trentino Con i Balcani Association on April 2019. During the trip, the guys met Operazione Colomba’s volunteers in Shkodër who guided them to visit the most important historical and religious sites in the city. The volunteers also caught the opportunity to tell the students Operazione Colomba’s activities, talking about what they carry out against blood feuds phenomenon in Albania every day. In this regard, the students interviewed Operazione Colomba’s volunteers, proving to be interested in their work.

On Friday 25 October, at the high schools of Sansepolcro, the “Angiolino Acquisti” Scholarship was awarded to Dr. Nadia Cadrobbi, a long term volunteer who recently completed her mission in Albania with Operazione Colomba. The Scholarship is intended for the Non-violence issue with the aim of disseminating scientific studies about non-violent conflict management, resolution and transformation. (more…)

During the 42nd session of the Human Rights Council of the United Nations in Geneva (9-27 September 2019), on September 19th were announced the outcomes of the third cycle of Albania’s Universal Periodic Review. On this occasion, the Comunità Papa Giovanni XXIII Association read an oral statement to recommend and strengthen the commitment of the Albanian Government to combat different social plagues in the Country, such as the blood feud phenomenon, domestic violence, discrimination against minorities and failure to respect children’s rights.