The Center for Openness and Dialogue was today dedicated to the presentation of the book “Leadership”, authored by Henry Kissinger, which comes in Albanian through a special publication, where through six spectacular accounts of six world leaders, one can admire the genius of one of the sharpest minds of world politics on the art of leadership.

Prime Minister Rama, in response to the invitation of the publishing house MediaUnion, wrote the preface of the book in question and shared his opinions, while moderating the discussion of a panel of guests with journalists, analysts, and scholars, among whom were prominent figures of European politics, such as former Italian Prime Minister Massimo D’Alema.

“This is a very special evening, I believe, not only for one reason, but for more than one, and the main one is the opportunity given to us by the publishing house MediaUnion with the translation into Albanian of an extraordinary book, by an extraordinary author, a book which I believe that even for someone who has no concern at all for politics or for the history of politics, is attractive from beginning to end.

I do not believe there is a book more suitable for the Center for Openness and Dialogue, where many book presentations have been held, and it is a privilege for me in this case to be here together with the guests, also taking the role of moderator, and so I will first pass the word to Nikos to speak on behalf of the publishing house, thanking him in particular for the kindness he showed in sending me a copy of the book with a very sympathetic dedication and above all for the privilege he gave me by inviting me to write the preface of this book.

It has been one of the most difficult exercises for me in the sense of responsibility, because to insert your own words into a book that also contains the words of an extraordinary man, in many respects, and also for his ability in writing, is not something very easy.” – stated Prime Minister Rama at the opening of the discussion, before giving the floor to the representative of the publishing house, who shared some facts about the author and his book.

“Kissinger has written many books. Leadership he wrote at the age of 99, and it was a kind of testament for the world’s leaders, making a very careful choice of six figures, and beyond these, the book has a very beautiful introduction and a wonderful conclusion.” – stated the representative of the publishing house.

Prime Minister Rama particularly praised the translation of the book, which preserved the authentic strength of the phrase, clearly conveying the messages to readers.

“In truth, at least from my point of view, the translation is quite sound, let’s say, and it gives a fluency in reading, and having previously read it in the original version I was a little afraid to open it, thinking perhaps the sharp force of the author might be lost, but the translation is quite sound, and I want to compliment the translators, perhaps they are here.” – said Prime Minister Rama on this aspect, before giving the floor to Massimo D’Alema, a personality of Italian politics, who shared with those present some of his impressions about the book and Kissinger’s creative personality.

Later, during the discussion, Prime Minister Rama expressed regarding the publication:

“I say that the book is worthwhile in many respects, but I agree with Prime Minister D’Alema that the most spectacular moments of the book are the ‘introduction’ and the ‘end,’ where the author himself speaks, and it is very surprising at the end in a moment when he speaks of what the Prime Minister mentioned, the great moral decline, the rise of slopes, waves, abysses in today’s situation, and then, at the moment when he creates for you the whole sense which more or less we all share, from the present time, he passes to the very last part, where he recalls his meeting in 1967, if I am not mistaken, his last meeting with Adenauer, who was very concerned precisely about the same things we are concerned about today, and he asks Kissinger and says: Do you think there is still today a possibility that there can be leadership with long-term vision? And do you think that today the world can still produce a true leader? True in the sense of the perspective, practically of the whole book. And it is a little like our own story with children who seem to us hopeless in relation to what we ask of them, while it has always been so with parents when they have experienced in their children the change of times.

History has many lessons within it, and surely in this sense, I imagine it is hard to have had a second in the great arena of international politics, who on one hand has had such deep knowledge of history as Henry Kissinger, and on the other hand the sharpness to grasp in time how to intervene to do that which was his absolute fixation: balance, balance, balance.

And in his realist approach, which for many was an immoral approach to the world, in fact the fundamental drive was always balance, the balance of forces.

And if, in high American policymaking, only that part had been read some years ago, today things might have been different, and without doubt, giving the answer to what Remzi asked — which everyone knows the answer to — if there had been a Kissinger at that table, surely things might have turned out differently. I believe with this, we can complete our mission, because the book is entirely there to be read. I am very grateful for the presence of all those who had no obligation to come here, such as ambassadors. I thank you very much.

I am very glad that I too gave my contribution to selling some copies of Henry’s book after his death, and naturally I am just as glad that finally there was a bit of light on stage for Mondi’s brother.