Albanian writer Stefan Çapaliku presents Albania’s unofficial culture – Honorary Consul Prof. Dr. Thomas Druyen attends the 16th “Westbalkan-Salon”

The Honorary Consul of the Republic of Albania was invited on 19 September 2025 to a special cultural event in Berlin: the 16th “Westbalkan-Salon,” organized by the International Club (ICAA) in cooperation with the German Federal Foreign Office.

Under the title “Nothing new on the other side of the fence – A sketch of Albanian unofficial culture,” the well-known Albanian writer Stefan Çapaliku delivered a much-acclaimed lecture on Albania’s unofficial culture. He traced a wide historical arc—from the early misunderstandings of European geography, through the birth of the modern Albanian state, to the intellectual and artistic movements during the communist dictatorship.

In the photo: Adia Sakiqi, Ambassador of Albania to Germany; writer Stefan Çapaliku (left); and Prof. Dr. Thomas Druyen, Honorary Consul of Albania in North Rhine-Westphalia (right).

With numerous anecdotes, Çapaliku showed how literature and art in Albania, even during periods of strict censorship, found ways to develop beyond official directives. He spoke about the so-called “drawer literature,” works written in secret and discovered only after the fall of communism, as well as the writings of exiled authors such as Ernest Koliqi and Martin Camaj, who wrote in freedom yet remained deeply connected to their homeland.

His lecture made it clear that Albania’s unofficial culture was not only a mirror of resistance but also a source of hope and creative renewal.

Founded in 2024, the Salon offers diplomats, artists, and those interested from politics and business a platform for exchange and networking in the Western Balkans region.

For Honorary Consul Prof. Dr. Thomas Druyen, attending the event was a valuable opportunity to deepen contacts and strengthen the cultural dialogue between Germany and Albania.

This post is also available in: Albanian German