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Charity Fundraising/British Embassy Organizes Christmas Market

2025-12-13 11:35:00, Qyteti im Alida Tota

The Christmas Market lit up the streets of the embassies in Tirana, but also became a beacon of hope for thousands of people in need, as the proceeds from the sales will be donated to charity. The Christmas Market was organized under the auspices of the British Embassy in Albania.

"Every year the embassies and diplomatic missions in Tirana organize the Christmas fair. We make sure that we are all together in a festive spirit for charity. After all, the funds collected will be donated to charity. The income that will be collected from sales at the British embassy stands will be donated to charity. Likewise, other diplomatic missions, the income that they will realize from sales will be given to various organizations that have charity as their activity and that have been selected by each mission individually", said the representative of the British embassy.

How did the Albanian public receive the Christmas fair, organized under the auspices of the British ambassador in Tirana?

"The Albanian public highly appreciated the fair, as they enjoyed learning from the different cultures that unfold at this fair. The Albanian public also enjoys being part of this organization and part of the community of foreign embassies. Here we have the British embassy shop. And we have selected different types of traditional British dishes. Mince pies are very popular in Britain and are cooked by our embassy staff. We have also prepared jams and marmalades as well as many other products", the representative of the British embassy, ??Thomas Wilson.

"We've sold almost everything. The best-selling items have been the children's Christmas cookies. These have all been sold. Also the traditional British sweets, Mince Pies."

Charity Fundraising/British Embassy Organizes Christmas Market

CNA interviewed ambassadors and diplomats to convey the emotions of the Christmas Market, on the street of embassies in the capital. His Excellency, the Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Albania Pavel Va?ek, praised that this festive tradition inspires hope for everyone. The Ambassador accompanies us to the stand of Czech products and shows us how some of them are cooked by him and his staff.

Charity Fundraising/British Embassy Organizes Christmas Market

"Thank you CNA for being here to see the Christmas Fair up close. I will show you the products we have exhibited from the Czech Republic. We have the wafer, we have our vodka produced in the Czech Republic. Most of the products are cooked by the embassy staff, by colleagues. It is very good to be together in these activities. This is the moment when all the embassies enjoy moments together, sharing their experiences and cultures. And the goal is that with the money we have collected during the sales of our products, we can help as many people in need as possible", said the Czech ambassador, Va?ek.

The cultural attaché of the German Embassy in Tirana, Jan Maibom, told CNA that the Christmas Fair is very popular even among the embassy employees themselves, as some of the products we sell are cooked by us.

Charity Fundraising/British Embassy Organizes Christmas Market

"We participate every year in the Christmas fair that is organized here in the embassy block. For us, it is also a kind of end-of-year celebration and we enjoy it very much. The Christmas fair is also very popular for us as employees. We experience great emotions even while preparing the products and we enjoy the moment when we sell the dishes and other items that are very popular in Germany, imagining ourselves at home.

"Every year we collaborate with civil society to decide which organization we will collaborate with to support the categories of people in need in Albania. This year, the German embassy's proceeds from the Christmas fair will go to the Dikonia Albania association, which supports the needs of people in need and helps with social projects for housing and integration into the labor market," said the cultural attaché of the German Embassy in Tirana, Jan Maibom.

What products were sold the most at the German embassy stand?

"Among the foods that sold the most at our stand were the popular German sausages and the small cakes that were made by us, all known to the embassy staff. These have all been sold out," he said.

The Embassy of India in Tirana presented itself for the first time at the Christmas Fair with traditional dishes cooked by the diplomatic staff, who have been stationed in Albania for almost a year. More than 200 people enjoyed the Indian dishes and the embassy representatives, who cooked them with their own hands, are more than happy that Albanians have enjoyed traditional Indian food.

Charity Fundraising/British Embassy Organizes Christmas Market

"We Indian ladies are the most talented cooks in the world. I strongly believe this because we can cook two to three times a day and we don't feel tired," said the representative of the Indian Embassy.

Do boys and men help you cook?

"They help us, but we are the ones who lead them in cooking. We are master chefs and we are proud to say this. More than 200 people have tasted Indian cuisine and the embassy representatives, who have cooked it with their own hands, are more than pleased that Albanians have enjoyed traditional Indian food," she said.

The representative of the Indian embassy also shows the recipe for brijani, the dish that Indians use to honor a friend.

"We use rice produced in India, the basmati type, and many of our traditional spices, including saffron, a very expensive spice, as well as ginger, and we layer it with rows of chicken," she said.

But Indians also have the characteristic savings box, which they introduced at the Christmas market.

"We generally use this box with motifs from India to keep our savings. But also to store Indian coins that have been used over the years."

The atmosphere created at the Christmas Market inspired everyone present.

Charity Fundraising/British Embassy Organizes Christmas Market

"The Christmas Fair is a big event. All of us embassy representatives gather here and exhibit parts of our culture and traditional dishes. Albanians are very curious to learn about different cultures."

"It's very interesting to meet at this Christmas fair. It's a festive moment, very friendly. We convey the emotions of being together on the eve of the holidays," said a student at the College of Europe.

The Christmas Market is organized every year by foreign embassies accredited in Albania. On this Christmas Eve, it was the British who led the charity campaign of embassies and diplomatic missions in Albania./ CNA