ask your grandparents

Winners announced for the "Ask Your Grandparents 7" competition

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The 7th edition of the "Ask Your Grandparents" competition, themed "Show Me Your Albania", reached new heights in engaging young people across Albania in documenting their local history, cultural heritage, and intergenerational stories.

Organized by the Institute for Democracy, Media, and Culture (IDMC) in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Sports, the Albanian History Teachers’ Association “Youth and History”, and the European history network EUSTORY, and the support of Raiffeisen Bank Albania, this year’s competition saw unprecedented participation, reflecting a growing commitment among youth to exploring and preserving Albania’s historical memory:

  • 326 participants aged 14–21 from schools across Albania;
  • 35 finalists selected for the final phase based on creativity, research, and storytelling;
  • Widespread regional representation, with participants from Tirana, Shkodra, Lezha, DurrĂ«s, Tropoja, KukĂ«s, Berat, Korça, and more;
  • Over 350,000 views on Instagram during the public online voting phase;
  • 8 winners were awarded prizes at the official ceremony;
  • The award-winning participants will have the opportunity to represent Albania at the EUSTORY European History Contests Summit, which gathers over 120 young participants from 20 European countries

The awards ceremony, held on February 22, 2025, at the Classic Hall, Tirana International Hotel, marked the culmination of this year’s competition. More than 200 guests attended, including:

  • Ms. Marina Maier, Director of the Austrian Service Abroad under the Austrian Ministry;
  • Ulrich Mählert, historian from the Federal Foundation for the Study of the Communist Dictatorship in Germany (Bundesstiftung Aufarbeitung);
  • Florenca Stafa, Director of the Association of History Teachers;
  • Representatives from the Ministry of Education and Sports, and a video message from the EUSTORY;
  • Academics, historians, journalists, and teachers, as well as previous winners of the competition;
  • Young finalists and their families, who gathered to celebrate their contributions

The event was moderated by Oriada Dajko, coordinator of the competition, and Markus Dalla-Via from the Austrian Service Abroad, who guided the audience through the inspiring journey of this year’s participants. This year’s edition once again showcased the power of youth storytelling in preserving history and strengthening cultural identity, reaffirming the role of “Ask Your Grandparents” as one of Albania’s leading youth history competitions.

Award Winners

Category: ESSAY

Category: ART

First Prize: Luesa Lalollari – "Loti i paqes", Tirana

Second Prize: Fabiola Kaca & Elvina Dushku – "Çinari i Rrmaj, Shkodër – dëshmitar i vrasjes së klerikëve dhe intelektualëve gjatë diktaturës komuniste", Tirana

Second Prize: Aleksandra Arapi, Alejsa Ndoj, Xhesika Mikaj, Romina Preçi – "Maket i minierës së bakrit në Kaçinar, Mirditë", Lezhë

Category: MULTIMEDIA

First Prize: Erla & Edjon Allmuça – "Kthim në periudhën e humbur", Tirana

Public Choice Award (Most Voted on Social Media): Erti Katroshi – "Lotët e Kosovës", Tirana

Encouragement Prize: Amantia Jonuzaj – "Sofra Dibrane, një vlerë e trashëgimisë kulturore shqiptare", Tirana

The awards were presented by renowned scholars, historians, experts in cultural heritage, and former political prisoners, alongside previous competition winners who shared their experiences and insights on the importance of documenting history and fostering intergenerational dialogue.

The 7th edition of "Ask Your Grandparents" has once again proven its value in encouraging youth engagement with historical memory, strengthening intergenerational connections, and promoting Albania’s cultural heritage. We look forward to continuing this collaboration and expanding the competition’s impact in the coming years.
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