Workshop on Memory and Identity on the Vlach Day in the Upper Vjosa Valley, Përmet

On July 12th, CeRPHAAL, in collaboration with Albtourist Eco Camping and the Municipality of Përmet, organized the Vlach Day. This commemorative event was initially introduced during the EU-funded project INCULTUM and is now being further expanded and enhanced as part of the SECreTour project. Its aim is to revive the cultural memory, traditions, and history of a forgotten minority – the Vlachs/Aromanian of the region.

The event took place at the kalive (hut-dwelling) site – a symbolic reconstruction of Vlach’s past life – located at the Albtourist Ecocamping in Përmet.

The gathering brought together community members, researchers and visitors to commemorate the history, lost memories, and heritage of this endangered ethnic identity, and to explore its future potentials in the local tourism sector.

This year’s event was organized as a workshop on memory and identity, presenting current research findings on the Vlach history in the valley and beyond. The topic discussed in the event included issues, such as: The historical presence of Vlachs in the Vjosa Valley and in the central and west-central regions, the significance of Vlach heritage for the region, and the socio – economic and cultural status of Vlach women in society.
The workshop fostered meaningful discussion among community members about the need to protect and preserve aspects of Vlach heritage, and the practical steps required to integrate them into sustainable regional local tourism initiatives.