Mirela Kumbaro, Minister of Tourism and Environment, delivered the keynote speech at the French Senate during the event “Apollonia of Illyria: 100 years of Franco-Albanian Archaeological Research,” which was attended by the Vice President of the Senate, Pierre Ouzoulias.
In her speech, Minister Kumbaro recalled the history of the establishment of the Mission and the most important personalities who supported it:
“I am deeply honored to participate in this seminar dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Franco-Albanian archaeological mission in Apollonia, Albania. French archaeology in Albania—or what we might now call Franco-Albanian archaeology—is rooted in history, beginning with early observations, research, and excavations that could be considered pre-scientific, often inspired by the passionate historical romanticism of French travelers and consuls in Albania and Epirus during the 19th century.
Its institutional beginnings, however, date back to the period after World War I, thanks to the efforts of Justin Godart—minister, deputy, senator, and mayor of Lyon—and a lover of history and culture—and the extraordinary work of the archaeologist Léon Rey, who dedicated more than 17 years of his life to the creation and development of the first truly scientific archaeological mission in Albania. This work was continued by French researchers and Albanians trained in France or fluent in French, culminating in the outstanding contributions of Professor Pierre Cabanes, a key figure in the mission, along with his brilliant Albanian colleague, Professor Neritan Ceka, a former director of the Franco-Albanian Archaeological Mission in Apollonia.
Ceka is the author of a monumental corpus of inscriptions from southern Illyria and Epirus, as well as numerous other scholarly works and articles. I would also like to acknowledge the efforts of others involved in this cooperation between Albania and France in the field of archaeology. Some of them are here with us today, including Etleva Nallbani and Saimir Shpuza, whom I would particularly like to praise and thank for their dedication.
Apollonia, thanks to the invaluable contributions of the French predecessors in this audience, is today one of the treasures of ancient Mediterranean culture, visited every year by thousands of French people—descendants of those early pioneers—further strengthening the bond between our peoples”.
In her speech, Minister Kumbaro highlighted Albania’s role as a cultural crossroads between East and West, home to UNESCO-protected monuments such as the city of Gjirokastra, known to the French thanks to the works of writer Ismail Kadare, who found a second home in France.
“Albania is a meeting point of cultures, a bridge between East and West, the Mediterranean, and the Central Balkans. It’s a country where, within short distances, you can find UNESCO World Heritage cities with Ottoman architecture, such as Gjirokastra—the birthplace of our great writer Ismail Kadare. And allow me this lack of modesty because it is also my hometown, but Ismail Kadare later found his second home here in France, describing Gjirokastra as “a steep city, perhaps the steepest in the world. A city that defied all architectural and urban planning laws—that was the Albanian world of Gjirokastra.
It’s still there—an inviting place. It’s the land of his childhood, where much seemed unbelievable and much seemed like a dream. In fact, these are the realities that I invite you to visit,” said Kumbaro.
The minister also spoke about Albania’s tourism development and the unique experiences that are increasingly attracting French visitors to the country.
“Today, Albania is experiencing extraordinary growth, or a tourism boom. And not only because of the sandy shores of the Adriatic or the rocky beaches with mysterious sea caves of the Ionian. The philosophy that defines Albania as a “unique destination” is about making friendly connections with the locals, who immediately invite you to become part of their world. It’s about sharing original experiences with them.
To experience the perspective of an orange sun that sinks into the Ionian and Adriatic seas over 450 kilometers of coastline that captivates with its landscapes and caves in the south and its long sandy beaches that welcome thousands of vacationers or host summer festival stages. That’s why our slogan is ‘Albania All Senses’—an’ invitation to enjoy Albania in all its flavors,” Kumbaro concluded.
In the first ten months of this year, over 200,000 French visitors came to Albania—75% more than last year. In October, the leaders of the French association “Les Entreprises du Voyage” held their next congress in Tirana and recognized Albania as a rapidly growing destination for French visitors.