June 10, 2026
Hosted by Fadil Berisha
There are moments in life when something awakens inside you… A feeling you cannot fully explain… A voice calling you back to your roots, your story, your people.
OriginAL was born from that feeling.
What began in 2022 as a simple idea has now become a movement that is changing lives across the Albanian diaspora. At its heart was one belief, that young Albanians around the world do care deeply about where they come from. What they often lack is not love for their heritage, but access, connection, and an invitation to truly experience it.
So we created that invitation.
OriginAL offers young members of the Albanian diaspora a free, life changing journey through Albania, Kosovë, and north Macedonia not as tourists, but as ‘VAJZA dhe DJEM’ returning home. A journey where history becomes personal, where strangers become lifelong friends, and where identity transforms from something inherited into something deeply lived.
In just four years, more than 1,200 young people from 25 countries have applied to be part of this experience. Eight cohorts and 257 participants have already completed the program. More than 90 percent describe the journey as life changing. Some have even moved to live in Albania and Kosovë after reconnecting with their roots. Many continue giving back through volunteer work, leadership, and community action.
But behind every number is a human story.
A young person hearing Albanian spoken around a dinner table and feeling, for the first time, that they belong. A participant standing in the homeland of their grandparents with tears in their eyes. A friendship formed across borders that continues long after the trip ends. A generation rediscovering pride, purpose, and connection.
And none of this happened by accident.
OriginAL exists today because people believed in it before the world could see its impact. People who opened doors, gave their support, shared the vision, and understood that investing in young people is one of the most powerful ways to protect a nation’s future.
Everything we have built so far has been possible because of individuals who chose to believe. And who continue to believe.
This is why our fundraising evening in New York matters so deeply.
On June 10, 2026, we invite you to join us for an evening dedicated to hope, heritage, and the future of our diaspora community. Hosted by the extraordinary Fadil Berisha, this will be more than a celebration. It will be a night where every ticket purchased and every donation made helps another young Albanian reconnect with their identity, their homeland, and their purpose.
Because OriginAL is not only about remembering where we come from… It is about shaping where we are going.
The young people who experience OriginAL return home changed. More connected. More confident. More committed to giving back to their communities and building bridges across the world.
And with your support, thousands more can experience that same transformation.
Some investments create profit… Others create belonging… This one creates both memory and future.
Join us in New York on June 10.
Help us continue this journey.
