(N.B. This is a translation of the original text in Albanian and make contain inaccuracies.)
Honored President Alfred Moisiu,
Honored Prof. Enver Hoxhaj,
Honored Dr. Nano Ružin,
Honored Admiral Samardžić,
Honored Dr. Flora Brovina,
Dear Ambassadors for Peace and esteemed participants!
In the capacity of the chair of the Universal Peace Federation Albania, it is a great pleasure for me to express to you all my sincerest welcome in such an important event held here at the Peace Embassy.
The conference held today, is part of a series of international Leadership Conferences that the Universal Peace Federation is organizing in all continents to address the problems and conflicts that endanger peace and security in our world that is becoming ever smaller.
The founder of the Universal Peace Federation, Mother Moon, who experienced the consequences of war firsthand during her childhood, had in the past and is currently in the present undertaking great efforts to raise awareness among leaders of different fields across the world, for them to take all the necessary measures to build a world of peace and to stop the escalation of conflicts.
In fact, all the activities of the Universal Peace Federation are based on the 3 foundational principles of Interdependence, Mutual Prosperity and Universal Values.
The Principle of Interdependence, underscores the fact that all people are interconnected with each-other in an inevitable way and that the human society, as an organic structure is destined to function based on this principle.
We are interconnected and interdependent no matter whether we like it or not.
If the Principle of Interdependence is understood, valued, and applied, then the Principle of Mutual Prosperity would be practiced naturally. – People would live for the sake of others in a natural way, whilst helping those in most need and, as a result, the sharing of resources would be more just and there wouldn’t be such an extreme disparity between the rich and the poor.
Governments would implement their policies of governance to benefit the whole of society via protecting human dignity through social policies on the one hand and through the stimulation and encouragement of individuals or special groups on the other hand, and this would develop further sciences, the arts, culture, technology, etc.
For this to happen, some commonly recognized Universal Values that are common, acceptable and applicable by all the peoples of all societies overcoming national, cultural, religious, racial or gender differences, should already exist and must be emphasized further.
These Universal Values must create the common foundation for all societies and nations to unite and create the feeling of ONE UNIVERSAL HUMAN FAMILY UNDER ONE GOD, by promoting the plethora of diverse cultures, traditions and beliefs that will add colors and beauty to human relationships.
When talking about Leadership in the Balkan Region, though traditional leadership styles have lost their influence, they are still valuable.
The Balkanic culture has historically autocratic leanings, from a historic perspective, due to the effects of the Cold War, through the transition period up to more recent times.
Autocratic management remains the prominent style of government in these countries, given that a democratic culture has yet to be fully established, and this has the advantage of avoiding the problems of insecurity caused by social codes and distance of the government.
In the Albanian context, the definition of leadership, when it is mentioned at all in Albania, is understood to be that of the central political leader, due to past customs, and this still retains a strong cultural imprint.
The desire for change among the new generations raises the expectation for a more democratic leadership.
With the change of geography, the transformational processes capture our attention, as a notable style of leadership.
While autocratic leadership styles are more effective in masculine cultures, people-oriented democratic styles of leadership are more prominent in feminine cultures.
The masculine cultural character, seen in many Balkan countries, is manifested also in the implementing of leadership styles and is in harmony with the current concept.
It has been nearly 5 months since the war in Ukraine started and its end seems to still be far off.
Our Balkan region has been affected more (than other regions) by this war, - only a few days ago we saw how delicate and fragile peace in the Balkans is.
Therefore, today, a courageous, visionary kind of leadership with a strong will, able to take responsibility for the mistakes and tragedies of the past, while able to build bridges of cooperation among peoples and most importantly based on Universal Principles, is needed more than ever.
I am sure that our honored panelists, based on their experiences and rich expertise, will present clear messages that should be taken into consideration, not only from experts of security, but from the whole society in general!
Thank you!