28 November is the Albanian Flag Day--this year is Albania's 112th year of Independence. Today (the 27th), classes were cut short in order to extend the holiday for the students (kind of like having a 1/2 day), but there was a mini program in between classes. It only lasted for about a half hour, but the choir sang some national songs, students read poems, and teachers explained the importance and history of this very special holiday. It's not so much about just being independent, but also remembering the martyrs and people who gave their lives for the independence of the country. Children here, boys and girls, are still named after the famous heroes of Albania: Skanderbeg and Marigona, for example. Marigona is the woman who created the Albanian flag--imagine if girls were named after Betsy Ross in the US.
Here are pictures of the choir. If you didn't guess it already, the colors of the Albanian flag are red & black:
Here are pictures of the choir. If you didn't guess it already, the colors of the Albanian flag are red & black: