Albanian President Bujar Nishani, awarded the “Special Civil Merits ” title to the biggest charity initiative in Albania, “A different Weekend “.
After dozens of weekends of undertaking its mission in every county of Albania, “A Different Weekend” received the ” Special Civil Merits ” award on Monday after the tireless efforts that the staff has done in the service of people in need.
Nishani handed over the “Special Civil Merits” award to the founder and executive director of “A Different Weekend”, Arbër Hajdari.
During his speech,President highlighted among other things:
“Today’s activity has a very special dimension because it is a tribute to the reverence of the courage, the courage and the initiative of a very large group of people who have given life, to some dimensions, for the first time. This should not only be recognized, not only be promoted, but should be spread throughout our minds.
Today’s activity is a special occasion for me. I would like to cordially thank first the initiators, perhaps based on their individual feelings, but also on our collective gratitude, and also driven by the principles they trust and believe in.
On behalf of the President’s institution, and all Albanians, I thank you for this initiative that you have taken”.
Following the President words here it is the full speech of “A different weekend” founder, Arbër Hajdari:
Dear Mr. President!
Dear First Lady!
Honorable ambassadors!
Dear charities!
Dear participants!
Ladies and gentleman!
Albanians supported “A Different Weekend”! No state structure or organization became part of it. “A Different Weekend” chose to belong to those for whom it was created! For the Albanians!
“A Different Weekend” is the inspiration we have found to alleviate poverty, with the confidence and hope that the tomorrow will be a day when we are stronger and united. “A Different Weekend” is the strength that we found to believe in each other, in our nation, and history!
In 17 months, the Albanians showed that we managed to knock on 9600 families’ doors to help them with daily food, built 20 houses and employed 270 heads of household. We managed to send doctors to the homes of the disabled, offering health care to those people lying on straw beds, trapped between pain, sickness, and poverty!
Education is the strength that humanity has against the darkness of the poverty.
We distributed 90 scholarships, thus giving the poor children the chance to study, and this sparked the lights of hope in their hearts. Today we are more than 6,000 young and new volunteers throughout the country, idealistic and realistic, critique and courageous, but we are all set and united in one single purpose!
In 17 months circulating an amount of 2 billion total in charity, Albanians showed us that although we are a poor country, we have enough strength and dignity to help one another and to stand up to a curse that has persecuted us in centuries and that now it’s time to fight it: the poverty. I take advantage to invite you to join us, to have the courage to be patient, dedicated to our mission, all together. Convinced, I say, we are all proud that we have deserved this noble decoration like the name itself, a decoration that will surely be the source of inspiration for becoming part of “A Different Weekend” by sharing the values that it possesses.
Charity does not make you poor!
Thank you!”
“Charity doesn’t make you poor”, is this the slogan of the foundation, which was the idea of this 22-year old Albanian student who has spent many weeks in the service of the people in need. The foundation has helped over 9600 families and about 2 billion ALL were donated to the people in need. It took only one idea for a charity initiative and enough willingness to convince people to take action and give their contribution and volunteers to join.
Even though one single weekend cannot change the life of a poor family it surely brings hope and joy to them.
