The General Directorate of Archives signed a memorandum of understanding with the Directorate of Archives of Italy

2025-01-13 15:29:00, Aktualitet CNA

The General Directorate of Archives signed a memorandum of understanding with

A memorandum of understanding is signed between the General Directorate of Archives of Albania and the General Directorate of Archives of Italy, with the primary purpose of disclosing documents of mutual interest.

The ceremony of signing the memorandum was held in Rome, where the General Director of the Archives of Albania, Ardit Bido and his Italian counterpart, Antonio Tarasco, the successor of the Republic of Albania in Rome, Mrs. Anila Bitri Lani, the mayor of the Municipality of Saint Miter, Erenesto Madeo, the researcher from Arbër and at the same time the honorary member of the Academy of Sciences of Albania, Francesco Altimari.

The General Directorate of Archives signed a memorandum of understanding with

In his speech of the occasion, Bido emphasized that through this memorandum, the disclosure of important documents on the Albanian diaspora is possible ???????? in the neighboring country, as well as on the Italian community ???????? present in Albania.

"I think we took the first steps in Tirana, where we did not sign an agreement, but we created a feeling and expressed the will to cooperate. We have a common vision on what we should do. First, to share what is ours and what is shared. We have in Italy the fund of the Albanian Consulate in Bari, while in Tirana we have the Italian Legation. We have 2/3 of De Rada's archives in Tirana, while the rest is in Kozenca. We may make it possible for researchers to view the full history documentation we share. We have the same vision on what should be done in the future. We are working to incorporate artificial intelligence into archival description. For us Albanians, Italy has a special importance. The General Directorate of Archives is the second Albanian institution with a physical presence in Rome, after the Albanian embassy. Also, we opened 12 Archival Corners in Sicily and Calabria. This summer, we will open the Archival Corner of Bar, on the occasion of the National Archival Conference, which will take place there. We would like to have a common research platform, where researchers from Albania and Italy have equal access to the documents" , said Bido.

While Tarasco added that this memorandum will aim to find application in the general management of archives.

" Albania is a country that has left a significant mark on Italy. We have always had friendly relations. The discovery of these traces, as well as the traces of Italians in Albania, is one of the objectives of this memorandum, not only limited to the close consultation of archival material, but also to the general management of archives. We have reached agreement on digitization techniques and the use of artificial intelligence. I am convinced that we will realize projects, which will mark the history of archival in our countries" , said Tarasco.

From those present, the memorandum was appreciated as an excellent opportunity to acquaint young people with the historical past and to highlight the cultural relationship between the two friendly countries.

"Italians and Albanians have built these relationships that are everywhere in our memory. These relations are consolidated by the cultural substratum, which must be evidenced by the institutions", said Altimari. "I wanted to underline what archives can do not only in strengthening relationships, which are already strong and special, but I believe what needs to be done by institutions is to make the past known to new generations. What has been done, built, whether good or bad. What presents historical Albanianness in Italy, in the centuries when Albania was not yet a state ", concluded the ambassador.

The memorandum of understanding is motivated by the common goal of the sister archival institutions, to highlight the mutual cultural heritage, through the encouragement of archival materials research. For this purpose, the signatory parties will undertake the exchange of information related to the historical past of the respective communities, based on the free research process of the specialists of the respective archives.

In the aspiration of a synergistic activity, the DPA and the DGA undertake to cooperate in the process of digitization, in the use of artificial intelligence, in the presentation of joint exhibitions, as well as in the publication of document collections. This memorandum comes in the wake of the DPA's commitment to intensify cooperation with regional and neighboring archives, in order to promote the historical heritage of the nations involved and to implement a coordinated action plan in the field of archival science.

Earlier, the DPA signed cooperation agreements with the Institute of Crimes Committed During the War in Kosovo (IKKL), with the State Archives of Montenegro, with the State Archival Service of Ukraine, with the National Agency of Archives of Moldova, as well as with The Archive of Bosnia and Herzegovina, providing bridges to deepen knowledge and experiences./ CNA