Culture and Sports: Albania celebrates Europe Day

14/05/2008

Along with other countries in the region, Albania celebrated Europe Day on May 9th. Also in news: Serbia's Novak Djokovic wins the Rome Masters final, and Albania hosts the first Motor Rally competition.

Albanian President Bamir Topi (centre) prepares to bicycle with children down the main boulevard in Tirana on Saturday (May 9th) to commemorate Europe Day. Many locals bicycled instead of driving to support the theme "To Europe without smog". [Getty Images]

EU aspirant Albania, along with other countries in the region, celebrated Europe Day on Friday (May 9th). On the same day in 1950, Robert Schuman presented his proposal for an organised Europe. His plan, known as the "Schuman Declaration", later received acknowledgment as the beginning of today's EU.

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Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic won the Rome Masters final on Sunday (May 11th) by beating unseeded Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland 4-6, 6-3, 6-3. Earlier this season, Djokovic won his first Grand Slam in Australia and also took first in the Indian Wells Masters.

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The city of Vlora, Albania, hosted the first Motor Rally competition in the country on Sunday (May 11th). Sixty-two participants from Albania, the region and Europe attended the event. First prize went to bikers from <b>Kosovo</b>.

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Late Macedonian pop star Tose Proeski on Sunday (May 11th) posthumously won Song of the Year at the Porin festival in Croatia. Proeski, who died in a car accident in Croatia last autumn, won for his song "Games without Borders". His album of the same name was Croatia's bestseller in 2007.

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An estimated 20,000 people took part in this year's 25th Tour of Athens marathon, on Sunday (May 11th). The footrace is the biggest sports and cultural event organised by Athens' municipal authorities. This year's event coincided with Mother's Day.

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Romania hosted a festival of Romanian children living abroad on Saturday (May 10th), the first of its kind. The "Green Grass of Home" event, organised by the Children's Palace in Bucharest, gathered more than 200 children living abroad. The goal was to facilitate their access to Romanian culture.

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The city of Rijeka, Croatia, hosted the Challenger tennis tournament on Monday (May 12th). Nicolas Massu of Chile, the Olympic champion in Athens in 2004, defeated Belgium's Christophe Rochus in the final.

(Various sources – 07/05/08-14/05/08)