The Albanian pavilion at EXPO 2000

Case study is under editing

This profile focuses on one of the many recent successful projects of the Albanian Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports that is presently under way, "EXPO 2000 Hanover". I choose this one because it truly uncovers the real values of my country whose reputation and image across the world has left much to be desired. All its elements support a clear message, that of SACRIFICING and NEVER LOSING COURAGE for the sake of a better future. Secondly, through this project, the Ministry has successfully crowned its colossal attempts to procure sufficient funds, which can be barely obtained in a transitional country like Albania. This project is regarded as having a successful financial scheme.

 

Presentation

Under the motto "Humankind-Nature-Technology", "EXPO 2000" was inaugurated on June 1, 2000 in the German city of Hanover. This exhibition, considered as one of the biggest in the world, is expected to estimate an overall of 40m visitors from all parts of the world and this number is expected to go up to some hundreds of millions considering the world publicity campaign towards it.

The Albanian government has accepted to be officially represented in this big event since 1995 while started relevant preparations only three years later (June 1998) when the Albanian Minister of Culture, Edi Rama, was appointed General Commissar of Albanian section at "EXPO 2000".

The 400-square metre Albanian pavilion ironically intertwines elements of the past, present and future with the view to achieving two goals: the improvement of Albania's image and the presentation of its future projects.

It will stay open until October 31, 2000. September 3 is proclaimed as the National Day of Albania at "EXPO 2000-Hanover". It is clear that this event, reporting the participation of 197 nations, was will be an excellent chance to extend and stimulate dialogue between the different cultures as one of the fundamental challenge of the contemporary world.

Structure of Albanian pavilion:

The pavilion has three components reflecting the Albanian experience from suffering isolation to chaotic freedom and the dazzling hope. The large bunker model, which serves as the axis for the space Albania will use, reflects more than 700,000 real igloos the paranoid Stalinist dictator Enver Hoxha built in the 60s and 70s, leading the most isolated country in Europe.

In the dark inside, three compositions with movies from the communist times are displayed, spanning from Enthusiasm through a Culture Revolution with brainwashing effects into the awareness of the Absurd.

Once you get out, clockwise, you are led to the second compound, a miniature model of the Greek theatre of Butrint, in south of Albania. The 45-degree sector displays wax busts of some Albanians and internationals who have shaped the history or the image of the Albanians.

"We thought of it as a cabinet of the historical characters," Ministry source said. Ali Tepelena, the 18th century south Albanian landlord, entered European fiction through the romantic novel of Alexandre Dumas, "The Count of Montechristo". Another 18th century romantic, Lord Byron, wrote lyrics about Albania in his Childe Harolde, and his diary excerpts on them are some of the earliest description of an emerging nation. Both are displayed in busts. Two staunch foes of the virulent political life of the first half of the century, Theofan Noli and Ahmed Zog, were also exhibited, as is the Albanian who most shaped the life of his co-nationals in this century, Enver Hoxha.

After that heavy burden of history again left clockwise, one goes to the right-angled rear part, which has acrylic spiral with the "Ohrid and Prespa Lakes" and the "Butrint archaeological complex". These two international cooperation projects serve as models for the future progress of Albania. Through them, it is realized a link between the preservation of natural wealth and the future economic and tourist development of the country. The conserved natural area ("Ohrid and Prespa Lakes") encompasses three interior pre-historical lakes in the triangle between Greece, Macedonia and Albania. The diversity of flora and fauna are displayed by a particular installation which reflects the main features (mostly fresh air, lucidity and purity) of this unique natural and cultural region, unknown so far by the Western Europe.

The second project deals with the archaeological excavations in Butrint, south of Albania, which for the moment is one of the biggest archaeological site in the Europe. To Albania, Butrint is more than simply a block of mountains or preserved antique objects.

The basic principles on which the Albanian pavilion is designed are as follows:

1) The improvement of Albania's image through a real and profound presentation of its values and counter-values which through years have associated the existence of the Albanians. In this context, the expression "Through darkness into the light" takes its real meaning. This element constitutes the main goal of Albania's participation in this mega-event. It is a chance for Albania to have a 153-day display of its history in this exhibition which is going to be touched by millions of visitors.

2) Presentation of future projects through offering original solutions for a country aware of its path towards its progress as well as of its wealth and resources.

Reasons of choosing these themes:

1. Albania belongs to those ancient areas of Europe which are characterized by rich cultural traditions. Archaeological excavations confirm the existence of a high culture dating back to B.C period. During the Greek antiquity, the archaeological city, Illyria, in the middle of which the present Albania settles, was ranked among the big nations of the West.

In the course of its troubled history, Albania lost its importance in respect of further European progress. In spite of that, in the 15th C, this country gave its valuable contribution towards the protection of culture and European civilization. In particular, the developments of modern times were tragic for the motherland of the Albanians. What ensued from the Second World War was a long and total isolation for the country.

The European revolutions following the liberation of Eastern Europe from the communist yoke gave to Albania the chance to become again part with equal rights of European civilization.

For the destruction of Albania under the dictatorship of Enver Hoxha, it was typical the construction of innumerable bunkers all over the country. They were a symbol of a restricted way of thinking and a ruinous politics of isolation which even today continue to have its consequences and create big difficulties in the returning of Albania to the European community of culture and nations.

The liberation from the symbol of restriction and isolation is the key message that Albania's presentation in "Expo-2000" aims to convey.

Albania strives to project sound hopes for passing its society towards an open one through keeping at a bay a century that erected in Europe many destructive borders. This country targets to witness to the world its wish to be integrated into a new system of European values next century.

Driven by this leitmotiv, Albania, in this exhibition, will display its attempts for keeping intact its cultural heritage and its special natural zones of the country, the only in their own kind.

Here, it is meant the plans on the establishment of a park at "Ohrid & Prespa Lakes" as well as the environmental problems about the preservation of eight special lagoons in North of the country, which constitute a particular ecological zone.

The theme of environmental protection is relatively new to Albania. Attempts have been made lately to conserve the country's ecological potentialities.

This takes much importance considering that all the opinion polls show that Europeans are seriously concerned about the environment. A series of conferences and exhibitions are being organised by the Environment Directorate-General of the European Commission, within the framework of "Expo-2000". The European Commission for the Environment has declared that increasing European citizens' involvement in improving their environment is one of the main objects it has set to itself. This Commission is inviting the public to ask questions, put forward suggestions and share their hopes and worries on environmental topics in Hanover this summer.

Recent data say that "Expo-2000" has so far reported 360.000 visitors.On average, a total of 70.000 people have visited it daily . The figure is foreseen to reach 260.000. On its inauguration day, the exhibition estimated 150.000 visitors, according to Reinhhard Volk, spokesperson of the activity.

 

Financing

Before treating this point, I have to stress out that Albania, in comparison to other countries, has not such perfectly-arranged financial schemes. Until the last moment, most of the cultural institutions are unsure whether they would succeed in providing all the money needed for the project. Everything is left to the chance. That's the only disadvantage to this case study due to which one has not much to say. However, I will try to make it as fully as possible.

The Albanian Ministry of Culture, as the main organizer of this event and a budgetary institution at the same time, has always been tight in funds. Following the rules of a budgetary economy, this Ministry is not allowed to collect reserve money because if not poured on the promised project during the given year, it means that the fund should be returned back.

In spite of that, this institution is lately striving to come through and the results have not lacked.

Albania's presentation to "EXPO-2000" remains a courageous undertaking considering the numerous human and financial resources it has committed to. In this project, the German government gave a considerable support. It allotted a DM800,000 grant for Albania's participation in this grand exhibition while the Albanian government poured DM170,000 as a rent for the surface of pavilion. In addition, it is soon expected the approval of a reserve fund (DM500,000) by the Albanian state which is designed to cover the operational expenses (energy, water, telephone, personnel's needs etc).

The key problem relating to "EXPO-2000" was surely about the provision of sufficient funds. Through a letter to German Embassy in Tirana in support to the request to German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, a total of DM700,000 was accorded in principle to Albania. This sum was promised to be increased to DM800,000 if the environmental project, "Ohrid/Prespa Conversation Programme", would be part of Albania's official presentation.

Considering the above-mentioned figures, it is estimated that the preliminary total sum reaches DM1,500,000. Everything becomes clearer in the following table.

No	Description of activity	Total cost	Albania	Germany
1.	Rent of pavil.surface	360	170	190
2.	Construc.cost + transp.& pavill.dismantlement	460	0	460
3.	Media, films etc.	300	200	100
4.	Operational expenses	20	0	20
5.	Cleaning services	10	0	10
6.	Personnel& trip expenses	150	150	0
7.	Promoting materials	20	20	0
8.	National Day	50	50	0
9.	Present.& receiving of VIP repres.	20	20	0
10	Soc. securities	20	0	20
11	Selling-Stand	20	20	0
12	Reserve Fund	50	50	0
	Total	1480	680	800