“VATRA AS A PATRIOTIC MISSION AND A SACRED NATIONAL TRUST”
An Interview with Erjola Xheko, Member of the Executive Board of the Pan-Albanian Federation of America VATRA.
Interviewed by: Sokol Paja
Dear Erjola, my warmest congratulations on your appointment to the Executive Board of VATRA. What does it mean to you to become part of the leadership of the oldest patriotic organization of Albanians in the United States?
Erjola Xheko: It is both a great honor and a profound privilege to serve and contribute to VATRA. VATRA is a living part of our national history—a patriotic and cultural institution that has kept the flame of love for the homeland burning brightly for 114 years. To be part of VATRA is an honor, but above all, it is a tremendous national responsibility. VATRA’s sacred national mission is to preserve and pass on to future generations the Albanian language, culture, history, traditions, and national identity within the Albanian-American diaspora.
Few institutions, if any, have contributed as profoundly to modern Albanian history as VATRA. As a member of the Executive Board, I feel this responsibility growing stronger every day through this patriotic and spiritual commitment. Our nation and our Albanian-American community need VATRA. We must all work together—as members of VATRA and alongside other patriotic organizations throughout America—to represent our community and our nation with dignity and strength.
Our patriotic commitment will ensure that VATRA remains a powerful and unifying voice for Albanians in the United States and a strong bridge connecting the Albanian diaspora with Albania, Kosovo, and the Albanian lands. The eyes of Albanians are, and will always be, on VATRA.
What do you consider VATRA’s most important contributions to preserving Albanian identity, language, culture, and history in America?
Erjola Xheko: VATRA stands at the very heart of our national identity and history. Its glorious 114-year journey represents one of the most important chapters in the history of Albanians in America and in the broader struggle for the Albanian national cause throughout the Albanian lands. Generations of Albanian patriots, activists, intellectuals, and distinguished national figures—including Fan Noli, Faik Konica, Kristo Floqi, Bahri Omari, Kristo Dako, and many others—helped transform VATRA into a spiritual, cultural, and diplomatic center devoted to the Albanian cause. The Pan-Albanian Federation of America VATRA has made an extraordinary contribution to preserving the Albanian language, national identity, culture, and traditions within the Albanian-American diaspora.
Through patriotic and cultural programs, community gatherings, public events, and through its historic newspaper, Dielli, VATRA has helped ensure that the Albanian voice is heard throughout America, that the Albanian national cause receives international attention, and that the Albanian nation is represented with dignity, respect, and appreciation. VATRA played a historic role in representing the interests of the Albanian state, including supporting diplomatic efforts in the West on behalf of the Albanian cause. It brought Albanian national values into American society and institutions and, above all, preserved our national heritage across the Atlantic. VATRA’s history is, ultimately, a history of service to the nation.
How do you assess VATRA’s patriotic work in recent years?
Erjola Xheko: The Pan-Albanian Federation of America VATRA remains one of the strongest and most unifying Albanian cultural and spiritual institutions in the United States. Serving and contributing through VATRA is a national responsibility and, in many ways, a sacred duty. It is an investment in preserving and protecting our historical heritage, advancing the proud legacy of our predecessors, and ensuring that this history continues to inspire future generations.
I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Chairman Dr. Elmi Berisha for giving me the opportunity to serve and contribute as a member of the Executive Board of the Pan-Albanian Federation of America VATRA. I also want to recognize and appreciate his leadership of VATRA over the past six years. VATRA’s growing presence in Washington, as well as in Albania and Kosovo; its participation in Albanian-American community events; its leadership of cultural and patriotic activities; and its organization of cultural programs, book promotions, and receptions for distinguished delegations demonstrate the strength, vitality, and values of VATRA.
How do you view VATRA’s priorities for the years ahead?
Erjola Xheko: VATRA’s priorities reflect the serious and far-reaching commitment of Chairman Dr. Elmi Berisha and the leadership team serving on the Executive Board and Council. These priorities demonstrate the need for an even stronger and more sustained patriotic commitment. Together, we must give our very best to serve VATRA and our community. The new Executive Board brings together professionals with diverse backgrounds, expertise, and experiences, but we are united by one common purpose: to serve VATRA, the Albanian-American community, and the national cause.
As a team, our work will focus on strengthening VATRA as an institution, bringing younger generations closer to the organization, strengthening its branches, and promoting greater unity and engagement throughout the Albanian-American community. Our foremost priority must always remain the support of Albanian-language schools and the preservation of the Albanian language, identity, culture, and traditions within the diaspora. The legacy of VATRA’s founders gives us both the inspiration and the determination to build an even stronger future.
What is your message to young Albanian-Americans who are being called upon to support VATRA as a “sacred national heritage”?
Erjola Xheko: Young Albanian-Americans are one of the greatest assets and sources of hope for both VATRA and our nation. The involvement and support of young people and professionals are essential to ensuring the continuation of VATRA’s historic mission in service to the Albanian nation. My message to the younger generation is simple: Never forget where you come from and who you are.
Our language, our flag, our history, and our culture are among our greatest treasures. It is our responsibility to preserve them and pass them on to our children and to the generations that will follow. VATRA is a sacred national trust entrusted to us by the Albanian patriots who sacrificed everything for the nation. We have a duty to honor their sacrifice by carrying their mission forward.
The achievements of young Albanians who were born and educated in America, as well as those who have arrived from Albania and Kosovo in recent years, are a reflection of the strength, success, and pride of our nation. I call upon young Albanians throughout America to come closer to VATRA, to engage with our community, and to embrace the patriotic spirit that VATRA has carried for more than a century.
May God bless all those patriots who sacrifice, serve, and contribute to VATRA and to the Albanian nation.
