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For many young people growing up in the diaspora, the question is not whether they are Albanian. The question is often what being Albanian means when your everyday life unfolds somewhere else. You may grow up speaking one language at school and another at home. You celebrate national holidays in one country while hearing stories […]

For many participants, applying to OriginAL is exciting. But before the excitement comes a long list of questions. Some wonder if they will fit in. Others worry that their Albanian is not good enough. Many have never visited Kosovo or Albania before, while others wonder if everyone else already knows each other. If any of

When participants join OriginAL, they do not only visit places of historical and national importance. They also experience Albanian culture in ways that feel personal, joyful, and alive. One of those memorable moments is Albanian Night, an interactive cultural evening in the heart of Tirana. Located near Skanderbeg Square, this experience gives participants the chance

Written by Leyla I’m 24 and I was born in Belgium. My dad is Bosnian and my mom was Albanian. She passed away when I was a child, so I never had the chance to know her or that side of my heritage. For a long time, I didn’t feel entitled to say I was

Belonging to a Culture I Learned to Call My Own Written by Christine Swanson, 7th Cohort (August 2025) I went to Albania to find my roots. What I didn’t expect was to find a part of myself I never knew I was missing. My great-grandparents were from Korçë and immigrated to the United States, but

OriginAL Cohort 8 marked the third and final cohort of 2025. It brought together 28 participants from the diaspora for an immersive journey across Kosova, Albania, and for the first time North Macedonia. As with every OriginAL cohort, the experience focused on presence, learning through direct engagement, and building lasting connections with people and place.

Where Roots Speak Louder Than Words Written by Flaka Krivanjeva, a proud OriginAL alumna residing in Kosovë. A Journey Begins: The Call of OriginAL OriginAL wasn’t just a program. It was a quiet calling, an invitation to see my homeland through new eyes. Not just my own, but through the hearts of those born far

Written by Mert GÜN ZHINIPOTOKU. Being part of the Albanian diaspora in Türkiye came with certain challenges. Even though we  weren’t physically far from the motherland, we often felt distant from it. We spoke Albanian to  some extent and tried to keep our traditions alive, but there was always a sense of separation.  Growing up