The Metropolitan Archbishop of Tirana and Durrës, Monsignor George Frendo, speaking at the solemn ceremony of evaluation of the Interfaith Council of Albania with the high decoration “Honor of the Nation” by the President, Ilir Meta on Monday underlined the importance of faith as much as politics. When there are 5 weeks left from the elections of April 25 Monsignor Frendo appealed to the political forces to focus on the common good and not on petty personal interests as “Our beliefs in Albania have valued more what unites us rather than the differences that the various beliefs cause to us.”
Monsignor George Frendo:
This ceremony is taking place at a very important moment for Albania because we are only 5 weeks away from the elections and I want to emphasize that it is the duty of politicians to see not so much what distinguishes them but what unites them, which is the common good.
I wish this to our politicians at this moment and the fact that they can learn something from us – the different faiths. We are different but we are united with love, with the conviction that we have something very important to contribute to our society.
Peace is won through war. It sounds paradoxical, but to win peace we must fight against pride, selfishness, jealousy. We rejoice that in fact we live in harmony. Society needs not only politics but also faith. It is politics that illuminates structures, but it is religion, faith, that can enlighten hearts.
We are proud in Albania that different religions are not a danger to society. We have even set the example of a very strong harmony. Why do we live in harmony? Because we have been lucky as our beliefs here in Albania have always valued more what unites us rather than the differences that various beliefs cause to us. What unites us are our monotheistic belief and the conviction that we all have a very special role in the society.
/argumentum.al