“This is my first time that I meet so many Albanian friends who have studied or will study in China in the same event. This is a meeting of a big family,” said Ambassador Zhou in his welcoming remarks to the ‘Reunion of Albanian Students in China’, beneficiaries of Chinese government scholarships
By Genc Mlloja
Senior Diplomatic Editor
“As soon as you will leave for China you will set your permanent destiny with China. This year is the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between China and Albania. Looking forward to the future, the development of Albania and the new page of the Sino-Albanian relations your wisdom and contribution are needed,” has said the Chinese Ambassador to Tirana, Zhou Ding.
Ambassador Zhou made that comment in an event organized with the participation of Albanian students who will go to study in universities and other high institutions in China. Among the participants there were also Albanians of different generations who have studied in China in different periods of time, as well as the Deputy Education Minister Ms., Lorena Haxhiu, friends of China as well as media representatives.
Since the beginning of the 90s of the last century up to now, the Chinese side has granted scholarships to 138 Albanian students and has brought to Albania 52 Chinese students. China and Albania have signed many agreements on the field of education.
But hundreds of other Albanian students have studied in China during the 1960-1980 period, when Albania and China, former communist allies, expanded their multilateral cooperation even in the field of education and culture with a lot of them becoming engineers, doctors, professors, diplomats, technicians etc.
‘A meeting of a big family’
“This is my first time that I meet so many Albanian friends who have studied or will study in China in the same event. This is a meeting of a big family,” said Ambassador Zhou in his welcoming remarks in the ‘Reunion of Albanian Students in China’, beneficiaries of Chinese government scholarships.
Addressing the students who will leave soon for China he noted that they will go to an oriental country, which is ancient but modern, mysterious but well-known, starting a wonderful and unforgettable experience.
According to him, any student that goes to China becomes a sacred missionary contributing to linking the two friendly countries that are far geographically from each other. He paid tribute to those Albanians who studied earlier in China saying that despite the changes in the world situation during these years, they have always been the firm supporters and guardians of the Sino-Albanian friendship. “You have also been the promoters of the Sino-Albanian cooperation for the mutual profit.”
Speaking of the cooperation in the field of education and youth exchanges between China and Albania Mr. Zhou said that it is growing and improving steadily. “Both sides are conducting actively consultations for the mutual recognition of the high education diplomas,” he said, adding that such a cooperation in education and youth exchanges is making positive progress in the frame of the cooperation of China with Central and Eastern European countries.
He considered as valuable the visit of the Education Minister Haxhiu to China who attended the third session of the Youth Campus “The Bridge of the Future” of the 17+1 Cooperation where among various items that were discussed focus was the establishment of the Youth Development Center of Cooperation between China and CEE countries in Tirana.
China and Albania are promoting actively the consensus achieved in the 8th Summit of the leaders of China and the countries of Central and Eastern Europe to establish the Youth Development Center of Cooperation between China and CEE countries headed by Albania.
Wishing successes to the students in their future journey Ambassador Zhou said among others that they will earn the friendship of the Chinese people which will be useful for them during all the rest of their life. “I hope that you will percept a different culture and values. China which you will know is totally different from that which your predecessors saw. You will feel closely the rhythm of development of China, will learn the mentality and path of development of China, tasting the Chinese culture that is colorful, comprehensive and a combination of the tradition with the modern.”
The Ambassador looked forward to the foundation of the association of the Albanian students who have studied in China hoping that its platform will offer more possibilities for the communication between the students of different generations giving more impulse to the friendly cooperation between China and Albania.
“A success story”
There are more than 60 years that Albanian students have studied in Chinese universities, and this is another occasion made possible by the Chinese Embassy in Tirana to wish good luck to the new students who are leaving for China to follow their studies, said Mr. Idriz Celmeta, a former student in China.
Mr. Celmeta started his studies in China in 1973 and was part of a group of 48 boys and girls who had graduated the middle schools in different parts of Albania. In 1974 another group composed of 28 students were granted scholarships and in 1975 the third group was made up of 36 students.
He told the participants in the event whose motto was ‘A shared dream, a shared future’ that they went to the best universities of China studying different subjects and after graduating they returned to Albania where they worked in different sectors of economy, industry, army, education, diplomacy, science, culture and sports.
“Besides the knowledge we got, we have been and continue to be promoters of the most friendly feelings towards the great Chinese people and active contributors of the Albanian-Chinese friendship,” said Mr. Celmeta. “The history of generations of the Albanian students in China is a success story and a history of genuine Albanian-Chinese friendship.”
Wishing successes to the new students, he told them that they will learn the beautiful Chinese language winning a precious treasure which will be an important means in their future work and life.
In conclusion he said that the Albanian-Chinese friendship has been preserved and strengthened year by year. “When this friendship turns into a tradition it becomes eternal,” said Mr. Celmeta, a former Albanian diplomat in Beijing.
“Unique experience”
Ms. Marsela Musabelliu showed in her remarks that she had just finished the studies earning the title of Doctor in the field of World Economy at the University of Xiamen. She started her studies four years ago.
“I discovered a new world, rich history, culture, traditions in China, but on top of all I discovered the hospitality and generosity towards foreigners there something that I have found nowhere,” she said, calling her experience as unique.
“I was lucky to travel to modern Shanghai, the visible power of Beijing, the commercial sites of Guangzhou, the futurist environments of Shenzhen, the unique history of Xian, the giant seaport of Ningbo, and undoubtedly to live in what I already call second home, the marvelous island of Xiamen,” said Ms. Musabelliu.
Further on, she said that China changes at a high speed day by day and she could see there the transformation, the unstoppable progress and above all the vision for the future.
“This road of major reforms initiated in 1948, the creation of the special economic zones, the attraction of foreign investments, the uprooting of poverty for more than 700 million people, the growth of GDP to more than 10 percent have created what today the researchers call an ”Economic Miracle”.
Speaking of her study experience she revealed that she had represented the university in scientific conferences in Warsaw, Skopje, Budapest, Beijing, Milan where she had understood that the academic foundation earned in Xiamen equals the highest international standards, and, according to the analytical approach at the Chinese schools is in the forefront of the present times.
Dr. Musabelliu is picked up by the Academy of Social Sciences of China through its branch in Budapest to contribute with academic writings in the field of economy and politics in the frame of 17+1 mechanism.
She summed up her humble advice to the new students by saying: “This year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Albania. Our two people have a deep history and a tradition of cooperation. You that are going to China for studies now are part of the foundation of the good relations for the future, are the linking threads between continents from the Asian limit up to the European one which constitutes the new Silk Road (Belt and Road Initiative). One of the elements of “One Belt, One Road” is the bilateral human exchanges. By going for studies to China you will not only take a little bit of Albania to the benches where you will sit, but will also profit knowledge and experience that will create a basis for a successful future of the life that you will lead.”
“You will become global citizens”
“Some time ago it was difficult for Albanians to get a scholarship to study abroad. Even today it is difficult, but there is a difference: If before we applied and the information we had was very little, today here you are as guests at the Embassy of China in the presence of the highest authorities where you are receiving congratulations but also information on this new window which has been opened to your academic life,” said the Director of the Confucius Institute at the Tirana University, Erjon Malaj.
He noted that universities are prominent in China and Albanian students will have opportunities to enrich and develop their knowledge. “The rest, that is the daily life in China, will prepare you to be global citizens of the time we are living. China is today an economic superpower and the fact that you will be part of its universities means a lot,” he said.
In addition Mr. Malaj said that the language and culture would be a challenge at the beginning but despite being far away Albanians and Chinese have many things in common which will make things easier.
“Also the Association of the Albanian students in China will help you as it will serve as a linking bridge among you and also as a platform where you can suggest Chinese companies in Albania and elsewhere to see in you a real potential after finishing the studies in China,” said the Director of the Confucius Institute at Tirana University.
“My name is Liri Bejo and I am from Durres. I have completed my bachelor studies in Business Administration and have recently received a Chinese government scholarship to study finance in Nanjing University of science and technology.”
This is how one of the members of the group going for studies to China, Ms. Bejo started her contribution in the event not hiding her joy and enthusiasm for the new opportunity provided to her to upgrade her studies in finance in China.
“Many of the students here today might not have visited China before, so I would like to take this moment and describe my amazing experience there. I initially thought of China as a possible place to study due to my interest in business and economy. During my first year as an exchange student under the ‘One Belt, One Road’ Initiative, I got acquainted with a new, different culture, but I found that we have much more in common than what sets us apart. We share values such as family, the dedication to younger generations and a strong community sense which made me feel at home although thousands of kilometers away. I would describe it as one of the best experiences in my life and I wish every student here will feel the same love and hospitality that I felt from Chinese people,” she said.
Ms. Bejo is a member of “Albania and China Association” and she believed that in any foundation of healthy economic relationship stands a ground of common cultural values and the ‘Albania and China Association’ has been at the forefront of this aspect. “Our countries have collaborated in the past and we now have the opportunity to restore this relationship, first in the human level and then in the economical one.”
Ms. Bejo was hopeful that when they return to Albania one thing is for sure that great things will be waiting for them and “thanks to our work and also the help of the Chinese community here in Albania we will change this place for better.”
A cocktail made the atmosphere more vivid with lively discussions among the students and ‘veterans’ of the Chinese education experience./ADN
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