Ready for a quick trip to see the Albanian 2022 stamp program? Albania is another one of the great Silk Road nations. There are 4 UNESCO World Heritage sites within Albania that reflect it’s deep historical routes: 

But it’s Butrint that by far describes Albania the best. 

It constitutes a very rare combination of archaeology and nature. The property is a microcosm of Mediterranean history, with occupation dating from 50 000 BC, at its earliest evidence, up to the 19th century AD. Prehistoric sites have been identified within the nucleus of Butrint, the small hill surrounded by the waters of Lake Butrint and Vivari Channel, as well as in its wider territory. From 800 BC until the arrival of the Romans, Butrint was influenced by Greek culture, bearing elements of a “polis” and being settled by Chaonian tribes. In 44 BC Butrint became a Roman colony and expanded considerably on reclaimed marshland, primarily to the south across the Vivari Channel, where an aqueduct was built. In the 5th century AD Butrint became an Episcopal centre; it was fortified and substantial early Christian structures were built. After a period of abandonment, Butrint was reconstructed under Byzantine control in the 9th century. Butrint and its territory came under Angevin and then Venetian control in the 14th century. Several attacks by despots of Epirus and then later by Ottomans led to the strengthening and extension of the defensive works of Butrint. At the beginning of the 19th century, a new fortress was added to the defensive system of Butrint at the mouth of the Vivari Channel. It was built by Ali Pasha, an Albanian Ottoman ruler who controlled Butrint and the area until its final abandonment.  
Butrint – UNESCO World Heritage Centre

Sorry for such a long quote, but it pretty much describes the history of Albania far better than I could. For most of my life, Albania was one of those closed off mysteries. It was barely spoken of and the books available at my modest local library were inadequate to say the least. With the opening of the country and the advent of the Internet, resources have been spilling out, much to my utter delight. Sites covering Albanian cuisine, folklore and history are at our fingertips, making it yet another country on my Silk Road Fantasy Trip list.  Silk Road | UNWTO 

What of their stamps? If you enjoy original artwork, tied to the country, then Albania is an area you might want to investigate. I remember finding my first Albania stamp – it was both exotic and mystifying. As I previously stated, a local small town library wasn’t the best place for research in a pre-Internet world. This was the first Albanian stamp I acquired, decades ago. I had no catalogues to access and no idea what I was looking at, aside from the fact it came from a country on the Silk Road (yes, that obsession started in my teens).  

1925 Albania overprint

I still have it, with my very modest Albanian collection. I collect primarily Canadian and airmail (worldwide), but have a small selection of world stamps because there’s something exciting about looking at them. Everything from the design, to the history is fascinating. And any country on the Silk Road route is an automatic keeper. 

Albania’s modern stamps are vibrant ambassadors – full of bright colours, beautiful paintings and rooted to the country. If you are a cancel collector, this is yet another country that issues highly collectable specimens. I’m currently trying to source some better quality scans of their postmarks, so for the time being, you’ll have to look at the FDCs. 

Now, on to Albania! 

March

Rosemary | Greek Oregano | Albanian lily 
Series: Albanian Flora  

3 stamps, 1 FDC, cancel, sheet of 9

• Rosemary (rosmarinus officinalis) Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary) (gardenia.net)
• Greek oregano (origanum heracleoriticum) Origanum heracleoticum L. | Greek oregano Herbaceous Perennial/RHS Gardening
• Albanian lily (lilium albanicum) Lilium albanicum – Lilium Division IX (lilium-tc.com)

Designer:  Petraq Papa 
Papa is a graduate of Academy of Fine Arts in Tirana and lecturer at the Academy. He is a painter and graphic artist who has designed some of Albania’s best stamp, coins and banknotes. 

Release date: March 4, 2022

EUROPA 2021- Endangered Nature
Series: EUROPA

1 stamp, 2 souvenir sheets, 2 FDCs, cancel

List of Endangered species in Albania (mongabay.com)

Designer:  Petraq Papa

Release date: March 30, 2022

April

Prominent National Figures

6 stamps on souvenir sheets, 6 FDCs, cancel

• Pandi Raidhi (1921-1999) film and theatre actor. Birth also listed as 1931 in some sources, but I’ll go with the date on PANDI RAIDHI (1921 – 1999) | Albanian acting icon! – Albanian Cinematography – Sport (kinematografia-shqiptare-sporti.com). 
• Naum Dhimitër Naçi (1871-1927) teacher and political activist NACI NAUM DHIMITER – Albanian Encyclopedia (shqipopedia.org)
• Mustafa Krantja (1921-2002) classical music conductor and composer.
• Andrea Mano (1919-2000) sculpture & teacher I’ll show you Andrea Manon. (shqiperia.com) This link is in Albanian and the translation is a bit wonky. Still readable, but a little odd. 
• Guri Madhi (1921-1988) painter, founder of Academy of Arts Guri Madhi
• Ali Pashë Gucia (1828-1928) military leader and founder of League of Prizren. Led a revolt against the Ottoman rule. This is a good site to learn about him Who was Ali Pasha Gucia (malesiapress.blogspot.com). In Albanian and translates well. 

Designer: Mikel Temo
Temo is a graduate of the Monumental Painting and Drawing school at the Academy of Arts in Tirana. He currently lives in Vancouver, BC. Canada. He has had art exhibits in Albania and Canada.
Mikel Temo – Ataraxia (ataraxia-auctionhouse.com)

Release date: April 4, 2022

Egyptian vulture – Extinction Species
Series: Albanian fauna

2 stamps, FDC, cancel

Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) Egyptian Vulture – Facts, Diet, Habitat & Pictures on Animalia.bio

The AOS Albanian Ornithological Society released a brief look at the Egyptian vulture in Albania. It’s a quick introduction to the bird and narrated in English.  Their webpage is a good resource to learn more about birds native to Albania Home (aos-alb.org) (in English).

Designer: Rigels Lulo

Release date: April 14, 2022

Rally Races in Albania

4 stamps, FDC, cancel

Garat Rally Rally races arrive in Shkoda – Albanian (shqiptarja.com) (in Albanian)

This page lists all the rallies since 2006 and winners in each category. The rally has 4 categories: motorcycle, 4×4, quad and SSV. It’s a massive race that cuts through all parts of Albania. The 2022 week long race starts in Durrës and wraps up in Tirana. You can see the route here route | Rally Albania 2022. 

“Rally Albania 2021″/ Gara ndërkombëtare që zbulon mrekullitë e natyrës shqiptare – ATSH – (ata.gov.al)

Designer: Laert Kraja

Release date: April 18, 2022

Religious coexistence in Albania

1 stamp on souvenir sheet, FDC, cancel

What Religions Are Practiced in Albania? – WorldAtlas 

Designer: Joan Guga

Release date: April 25, 2022

Children’s Rights

2 stamps, FDC, cancel

Designer: Bertrand Shijaku
Graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in TIRANA, Faculty of Figurative Art. Shijaku’s works have won a number of philatelic awards, including the 2009 Filatelia Albanian competition for Europa-Illustrations for Children, and Albanian Kometar-Works in Silversmithing. His extensive portfolio includes book illustrations, animations and stamp designs. gallery – bertrand shijaku (webs.com)

Release date: April 28, 2022

May

Albanian Tourism

2 stamps, FDC, cancel

Kanioni i Ngjipese The Canyon of the Unexplored Space (shqiperia.com)

Designer: Artion Babochi

Release date: May 5, 2022

Antique Coins in Albania

4 stamps, FDC, cancel

Designer: Laert Kraja

Release date: May 6, 2022

Euromed 2021 – Jewelry worked in the Mediterranean

4 stamps, FDC, cancel

Designer: Bertrand Shijaku

Release date: May 11, 2022

Visit Albania’s 2021 stamps – it’s still a preview, with much work left, but I thought you’d enjoy a sneak peek: Another quick trip via Albanian 2021 stamps | Bitter Grounds Magazine. The article is still under construction will undergo many edits, but I thought you might enjoy seeing it transform. 

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