One of Albania’s Most Prominent Ambassadors to the World
He has used his name, talent, connections, finances, and enthusiasm to proudly present Albania to an international audience. Next year, a catalog dedicated to Albania will be distributed worldwide, featuring photographs captured by him, with Albanian model Emina Cunmulaj.
This past summer, the photographer of global personalities could be seen through social media traveling across various parts of Albania, capturing the country’s beauty through his lens. He spent part of the summer in the northern regions. After having breakfast at Hotel Adriatik, as he had promised the day before, he joined me at my table, and we immediately delved into conversation—discussing his recent photos, how they looked, his projects—and naturally drifted into a discussion about his roots and traditions, which, as it happens, align with mine.
I am talking about Fadil Berisha, who had just completed a photo shoot with Maya Mysk in New York. But free spirits know no boundaries, and Fadil Berisha is precisely that kind of soul.
Berisha Continues His Voluntary Work Promoting Albania Since 1996
Fadil Berisha has been committed to promoting and supporting Albania since 1996, when he first visited the country. His work has evolved into a collaborative effort with friends who divide their lives between Albania and the U.S.
This summer in Albania, he worked closely with Emina Cunmulaj to create a catalog showcasing Albania’s natural, spiritual, and cultural beauty. In addition to photos taken over the years, they aimed to complete the catalog by photographing places they had yet to visit. “I believe we will present it internationally next year,” Berisha shared.
Berisha first met Cunmulaj through fashion when she was just 16. “As two Albanians who connected through fashion, we’ve worked together in Montenegro and the U.S., and we returned to Albania saying: Let’s inspire Albanian people and models. That’s when I thought: OK, let’s create this book. We have many photos together from Albania—let’s complete the ones we’re missing from other places. We’ve covered Berat, Kruja, and Central Albania. Then, we headed to the north, where both of us are originally from.”
As a frequent visitor to Albania, Berisha notices drastic changes. The idea for the book came after the documentary Dear Albania, which he made with Eliza Dushku about a decade ago. “Everything has become so beautiful. There have been major investments, and now I want to show foreigners, through the photos we’ve taken: Look where we were and where we are now. Look at the transformation!”
A Giver, Following the Footsteps of Mother Teresa
Getting to know Fadil Berisha reveals his deep love for his homeland, roots, and people. “If you think people are defined by what they have, you’re wrong. It’s what we lack and how we approach it that defines us.” His love and longing for Albania were deeply rooted in his parents, who fled Albania and settled in Kosovo before moving to the U.S. with a one-way ticket when Berisha was only five.
“We grew up abroad, constantly watching our parents weep for Albania, the country they left behind. They fled in 1953, escaping communism, crossing mountains at night. Living in New Jersey and New York, our lives revolved around Albania—its beauty, events, and losses. For 50 years, my parents cried for our homeland, and that pain stayed with us, their children. You grow up wanting to make them happy, to find ways to turn that pain into love,” Berisha explained.
The reopening of Albania fueled Berisha’s desire to visit and see the people and country for himself. “I had a great love and longing for my people,” he said, reflecting on his first trip for Miss Europe. “I came with an American team, overwhelmed with the emotions of an immigrant seeing the ‘Welcome’ sign at the airport. I wanted to hug every person I saw on the street. All this love and nostalgia came from my parents, who told us only the most beautiful things about Albania.”
During that time, Berisha connected with people like Donika Bardha, further deepening his bond with Albania. Already well-established in the U.S., Berisha began thinking about how he could help Albania. “As the chief photographer for 96 countries at Miss Universe, I helped create the first Miss Albania. Anisa Kospiri was the first Albanian to compete internationally, representing Albania on the global stage. She was a beautiful basketball player with blue eyes. It was an opportunity to present Albania as a land of beauty, not the negative image the world had previously held.”
Berisha insisted that the world recognize Mother Teresa’s Albanian heritage. “When Anisa walked on stage, I asked the host to introduce her as: ‘Anisa Kospiri, from the Country of Mother Teresa, Albania.’ Our contestant was stunning and talented. She made it to the Top 10 in Puerto Rico in 2000–2001.”
Her success boosted the morale of Albanians worldwide, countering the negative stereotypes that had burdened the diaspora. “So many Albanians living abroad admired Anisa Kospiri. At one event, even with Hillary Clinton present, the line to take a photo with Miss Albania was longer than the line to meet Hillary. Albanians felt proud and fulfilled.”
A Mission to Showcase Albanian Beauty to the World
Berisha’s childhood dream was not to become a famous photographer but to use photography to show the world the beauty of Albanians. As the official photographer for Miss Universe, he said, “I was beautifying 96 countries, but I didn’t have Albania among them? It broke my heart. That’s why I worked with Vera Grabocka to create Miss Europe and later Miss Kosovo.”
With Kosovo’s independence, Berisha’s dreams became more achievable. Albanian contestants began winning competitions, but Berisha’s success in the art and fashion world was met with envy. “There was jealousy because Albanian girls were winning, putting my career at risk. But I always supported beauty, regardless of where it came from.”
Berisha also leveraged his contract with Rolex to promote Albanian beauty. “The money from that contract wasn’t just for me. I included an Albanian model in the campaign, showcasing her through Rolex in Vogue and on billboards across Europe and America. Even if people didn’t know where she came from, Albanians knew she was one of their own.”
He always incorporated Albanian elements into his photography with Albanian models. “When I photographed in Kruja and other Albanian locations with Zana Krasniqi, Eralda Hitaj, and her sister, I created three Angelina Jolie-like figures. But their eyes looked foreign. I didn’t want that to happen. I had to capture the essence of Albanian beauty, which is why I sought out traditional elements and clothing for the shoots.”
Foreigners remain surprised by the beauty of Albania and the diversity of its landscapes. These captivating aspects of the country’s nature, traditions, and culture will soon be showcased in the upcoming photo catalog with Emina Cunmulaj.
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