Members of the LGBT community, activists, and supporters marched through the streets of Tirana under the slogan “Together for Family,” also giving voice to the families of LGBT people.

Over the past year, following the approval of the gender equality law, there has been a wave of disinformation and hatred directed at the community. As a result, the speeches during the march focused largely on family and acceptance.

“This year Albania heard the voices of our families, our mothers, our grandmothers, our parents. Parents who spoke publicly, in a climate of hatred, to say something very simple: this is my child and I love them,” said Livia Zotrija, an LGBT activist in Albania.

According to her, many promises have been made to the community, yet while politicians continue to speak about LGBT bodies, transgender people in Albania still do not have access to dignified healthcare.

“Today, I want to publicly ask the Minister of Health and Social Protection why the approval process for the healthcare protocol for transgender people continues to be delayed. How long must their lives remain suspended because of a lack of political will? Your silence in the face of this injustice makes you complicit,” said Zotrija.

Edlira Mara and Alba Ahmetaj have built their family together and are raising two daughters. In Albania, same-sex marriages are not legally recognized, and as a result, their daughters remain unregistered.

During the march, Edlira said that the Albanian family is also the one made up of women who keep households together for 20 years while men emigrate abroad.

“And today, that family includes us too. Because we have mothers and fathers. We have brothers who love us. We ourselves are mothers and fathers,” Edlira said.

She also pointed out that while the march was taking place, a draft law had been submitted to the Albanian Parliament seeking to ban any content discussing gender identity or alternative forms of family in schools or for young people up to the age of 22.

“So, a 22-year-old man or woman in Albania can vote, can marry, can have children, but according to Mr. Shehu, they cannot read a book where I am mentioned. This is not a theory, this is a draft law that has been submitted to Parliament for voting,” declared Edlira.

Government representatives and deputy ministers were also present at the march. Deputy Prime Minister Albana Koçiu said that her participation represented not only solidarity, but also support for a community that deserves recognition and respect.

“I strongly believe that no one should be afraid of themselves. Everyone should live in a country where human dignity is recognized and respected. Significant efforts have been made, but much more still needs to be done. Certainly, the latest legislation on gender equality creates a necessary condition to respect, recognize, and guarantee human dignity and human rights,” declared Koçiu.

The European Union Ambassador to Albania, Silvio Gonzato, who has also publicly spoken about his identity, stated that he attended the march not because of his personal story, but as the EU representative in Albania.

“Let me tell you very clearly that the reason I am here today is not simply because of my personal life, but because I am the Ambassador of the European Union to Albania, the representative of the EU,” Gonzato stated.

Referring to a statement by EU Vice President Kaja Kallas, Gonzato said that democracy cannot flourish where inequality and discrimination persist.

“Equality is not optional, it is not an alternative, it is the very foundation of free and progressive societies,” Gonzato concluded.

Among the rainbow flags, songs, and calls for rights, Palestinian flags were also present at the march. According to activists, there can be no Pride in places where genocide exists.

Xheni Karaj, LGBT activist and head of the Alliance Against LGBT Discrimination, said the community knows what it means not to be free.

“Today we march not only for ourselves, but for all people who are not free and are experiencing war and genocide. We march for the people of Palestine, we march for the people of Ukraine. We march for a world without war and without hatred. We march because we know very well that none of us is free until all of us are free,” Karaj concluded.

The march was accompanied by police in order to ensure the safety of participants.

“This is my child and I love them” — Returning to family through letters

The Pride march was also expressed through letters written by family members of LGBT people to their children and loved ones.

The Alliance Against LGBT Discrimination published several videos giving voice to these letters, presenting them as a shield against the discrimination and hatred that exists in Albanian society.

One mother wrote about her transgender son: “Isn’t this my duty as a parent? To stand by his side unconditionally, with love and support, whenever he needs it?”

Bruno’s grandmother, referring to her LGBT grandson, wrote that he had finally found himself.

“How few people actually find themselves. Now you have Guin (your partner). I can see how your behavior has changed. Not because you have changed, but because you are more complete. That is what every grandmother wants. Nothing grand, only completeness,” the letter said.

For Elda, the mother of Livia Zotrija, who was one of the activists leading the march, her daughter had always gone against the current since a teenager.

“You are not doing this only for yourself. Together with your team, you are changing other people’s lives. You are helping them and fighting alongside them. And when I think about this, I say: I am lucky to be your mother. Never forget, you are our soul, the light of our eyes, for us, you are the world,” Livia’s mother wrote in her public letter.

The mother of Arbri, another young LGBT man, said she had to truly know her son through suffering.

“What destroys our children is not their sexual orientation, but the pressure and fear of prejudice from families, friends, and society in general. And regardless, sexual orientation is not what makes them good or bad people. The freedom to live their sexual orientation allows them to grow and succeed in other areas of life. They are our children, they need us, and they are wonderful,” Arbri’s mother wrote.

Albania unsafe for the LGBT community

Although Albania adopted a National Action Plan for LGBT persons in 2021 and is considered one of the countries with the most progressive legal frameworks in the Western Balkans, monitoring presented by the Alliance Against LGBT Discrimination shows that implementation remains minimal. The report highlights a major gap between the law and the reality experienced by the LGBT community in Albania.

According to legal expert Dea Nini, institutions report measures taken, but “are unable to prove their implementation with concrete documents and measurable indicators.”

The report found that 83% of municipalities did not respond regarding implementation of the action plan, and none of those that did respond reported having a dedicated budget for the LGBT community.

One of the most significant findings is that 88% of surveyed LGBT people want to leave Albania.

“This community has no effective access to services, no legal recognition, and does not feel safe in Albania,” Nini declared.

The report also highlights workplace discrimination, lack of services in municipalities across the country, and a high level of fear surrounding disclosure of gender identity or sexual orientation in institutions.

According to Livia Zotrija, 82% of LGBT individuals have never disclosed their identity to a doctor, while many service providers continue to deny the existence of barriers for the community.