Category: Albanian Culture

If one word sums up Albanian honour, it is besa. It is usually translated as a pledge of honour, or simply keeping your promise. In the Second World War, that promise saved lives.

What besa means

Besa is a cornerstone of the Kanun, the code of Albanian customary law associated with Lekë Dukagjini. Giving your besa means giving your word, and breaking it brings shame on you and your family. A guest who is under your besa is under your protection.

The rescue

During the German occupation of Albania in the Second World War, Albanian families, many of them Muslim, took in Jewish refugees. They hid them in their homes, in cellars and in mountain villages, and dressed them as villagers so they would not stand out.

According to Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust memorial, almost all Jews living in Albania during the German occupation were saved, and there were more Jews in Albania after the war than before it. By 2016, Yad Vashem had recognised 73 Albanians as Righteous Among the Nations, an honour given to non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews. Yad Vashem links these rescues to besa.

Why it still matters

Besa is not only history. It is the reason an Albanian will drive across town for you at midnight, and the reason a handshake still means something. It is one of the things we are proudest of, and one of the reasons we put Albanian symbols on things people wear every day.

Read more about the symbols behind A&P on our About page, or explore the Albanian culture guide.

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Sources: Yad Vashem: Besa, A Code of Honor (exhibition) · Yad Vashem: Righteous Among the Nations in Albania · Yad Vashem: Jews in Albania · Wikipedia: Besa (Albanian culture) · Wikipedia: Kanun of Lekë Dukagjini

Ask any Albanian about 28 November and you will get a smile. It is Flag Day, Dita e Flamurit, and it is celebrated wherever Albanians live. Here is what the day marks and how to celebrate it, at home or abroad. For every other date, see our Albanian holidays calendar.

What 28 November commemorates

On 28 November 1912, Ismail Qemali proclaimed Albania’s independence in Vlorë and raised the red flag with the black double-headed eagle. The date was not random: by tradition, Skanderbeg raised the same flag over Krujë on 28 November 1443.

And 29 November

The next day, 29 November, is Liberation Day in Albania, marking the end of the German occupation in 1944. It is also a public holiday, so the two days are often celebrated together. Historians still debate the date, because different cities were freed on different days.

How Albanians celebrate

• In Albania: an official ceremony in Vlorë, where independence was declared, and a giant flag raised in front of the crowds in Skanderbeg Square in Tirana.
• Across the Balkans: the day is marked in Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro and the Preševo Valley.
• In the diaspora: flag raisings, community gatherings and concerts. In Canada, Albanian communities raise the flag at city halls, and in recent years it has also been raised at the Ontario Legislature in Toronto.

Ideas to celebrate wherever you are

• Wear red and black, or something with the eagle.
• Hang the flag from your balcony or window.
• Get the family together around the table, and put on the songs your parents played.
• Tell the kids the story: Skanderbeg in 1443, Ismail Qemali in 1912.
• Share your photos and tag @albanianandproudstore or use #AlbanianAndProud.

Looking for a Flag Day gift?

Start with the eagle. See the first pieces in our shop, or read our Albanian gift guide for the other dates worth celebrating.

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Sources: Wikipedia: Independence Day (Albania) · Wikipedia: Liberation Day (Albania) · Exit News · Anadolu Agency · Tirana Times

The red flag with the black double-headed eagle is one of the most recognisable flags in Europe. Here is where it comes from, what it means, and a few things people often get wrong.

The design

A red field with a black double-headed eagle in the centre. The flag is drawn in proportions of 5:7.

Where the eagle comes from

The design comes from the seal of Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg, the 15th-century leader who led a revolt against the Ottoman Empire and is Albania’s national hero. Read his story. The Kastrioti family arms showed a black double-headed eagle on red.

By tradition, Skanderbeg raised his flag over the fortress of Krujë on 28 November 1443. That date matters, as you will see below.

28 November 1912

On 28 November 1912, Ismail Qemali proclaimed Albania’s independence from the Ottoman Empire in Vlorë and raised the red and black flag. The date was chosen to echo Skanderbeg’s flag raising, and today it is Independence Day, better known as Flag Day (Dita e Flamurit). Here is how Albanians celebrate it.

One flag through every era

Every government since 1912 has kept the red field and the eagle, sometimes adding a symbol above it. The communist-era star was removed in April 1992, and a 2002 law standardised the design used today.

What do red and black mean?

There is no official definition. Red is commonly said to stand for bravery, strength and courage. Treat these as popular interpretations rather than an official meaning. For most Albanians, the flag simply means home.

Does Shqipëria mean “land of the eagles”?

You will often hear that Shqipëria, the Albanian name for Albania, means “land of the eagles”, because it sounds like shqiponjë, the word for eagle. It is a popular story, but many linguists connect the name to shqip, meaning to speak clearly or understandably. The question is not settled. The eagle is the national symbol either way. More in 10 facts about the Albanian language.

What about the flag of Kosovo?

Kosovo adopted its own flag when it declared independence on 17 February 2008: a blue field with a gold map of the country and six white stars. Many Kosovo Albanians also fly the red and black flag, and you will see both side by side.

Wear it

Every A&P piece carries the eagle for one reason: it says who we are. See the first pieces in the shop.

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Sources: Britannica: Flag of Albania · Wikipedia: Flag of Albania · Britannica: Skanderbeg · Wikipedia: Albanian Declaration of Independence · Wikipedia: Shqiptar · Wikipedia: Flag of Kosovo

Clothes say a lot about who we are. For Albanians living in Albania, Kosovo or anywhere in the diaspora, they can also say where we come from. Here are five simple ways to wear your heritage every day.

1. Start with the eagle

The black double-headed eagle is the most recognisable Albanian symbol there is. It sits at the centre of the flag that Ismail Qemali raised in Vlorë on 28 November 1912, and its roots go back to Skanderbeg in the 1400s. A small eagle on a tee, a hoodie or a phone case says more than any slogan.

2. Use red and black

You do not need the full flag to make the point. A red and black outfit, or a black piece with one red detail, reads as Albanian to anyone who knows.

3. Mix modern with traditional

• Layering: wear a plain modern piece with something traditionally embroidered.
• Accessories: filigree jewellery, a scarf with folk patterns or a watch you wear every day.

4. Dress for the dates that matter

• 28 November: Flag Day and Albania’s Independence Day.
• 17 February: Kosovo’s Independence Day.
• Weddings, matches and family gatherings: the moments when everyone shows up proud.

5. Share it

Post your look and tag @albanianandproudstore or use #AlbanianAndProud. Seeing how other Albanians wear their roots is half the fun.