The Dea Cultural Centre in Ksamil, near Saranda, Albania, was set up by the famous composer Limoz Dizdari and his wife Adriana Dizdari in 2000. Its purpose is to function as a place for education, exhibitions and other cultural activities, benefitting both the local community and the entire Albanian nation. Notably, it has been the venue for internationally- judged music competitions, in which many brilliant young Albanians have taken part.
In recent years attempts have been made to challenge Mr Dizdari’s right to the property, by local elements seeking to evict him, shut down the Centre and profit from the building themselves. Mr Dizdari’s right has been upheld by the courts.
But in recent months the threats and hostile acts against Mr Dizdari and the Centre have risen to new levels, including death threats. In October 2021, when he and his wife travelled to Tirana for another court proceeding, unknown people invaded the Centre and placed fierce guard dogs in the grounds, to prevent even the staff from entering.
All the possessions of Mr and Mrs Dizdari remain in the building. This has been their home for many years, and over those years they have invested over 800,000 Euros in the development and upkeep of the Centre. Today, on October 18th, 2021 The Dizdari’s entered back to the Centre, with the support of the police fighting their way through, to eventually find out that all art work from the Art Gallerie was gone, the library is destroyed, the stage equipment removed. More importantly, the music scores and the entire intellectual property of Limoz Dizdari, which is the country’s treasure is missing or destroyed
These acts of vandalism, robbery, harassment, intimidation and violence bring shame on the Albanian nation. They are attacks on the best cultural values of the country, and on the cultural life of the local community. Such acts are especially troubling in a country that aspires to join a civilized, democratic Europe.
We call on the Albanian authorities, national and local, to intervene urgently, to restore Mr and Mrs Dizdari to their home in the DEA Centre and bring back the music score, the art pieces and everything else that has been stolen from the building and guarantee the Centre’s future as a focus for local, national and international cultural life.