Symbolism of the Mill of Life:

The symbolism of the Albanian Pavilion, the “Mill of Life”, designed by the Artistic Curator, Master Edi Hila, conveyed many meanings of a complex reality that comes from a long history of difficulties and struggles to survive. A dignified nation that exists nowadays and that strives to integrate into the dimensions of the time in which we live. Albanian society is a society that enables people of different religions to live in complete harmony, a virtue on which a morality has been built and that keeps Albanians united.

In Albania, where coexistence is not cemented by a common religion, the unifying “third” is not left out. On the contrary, as a must, due to the constitutional requirements in addition to freedom and equality, culture has been at the center as a factor of unity and harmonious compatibility between those different (differences). Harmony is exactly a relationship, which means a provision versus something else. Culture is a factor of unity and unification, and what is important to stress for Albanians, is specifically that such unification was created voluntarily and naturally.

Societies are destined to fail if they are not supported by a force that does not depend on economics and politics, and this force, of a cultural nature, has been religion for many centuries. Its power was the belief in the same God or the same constellation of Gods, as an institutional structure and organization of the force that ruled the state. 

From the point of view of religious coexistence, we find the mill in the philosophy of the two main beliefs for Albanians: in the imaginations of the manger of the birth, the mill is designed precisely to symbolize the bread, and the bread as the body of Christ; and also in Islam, the perfection of the mill personifies in sacred scripts, humanity between the two wetlands guided by the axis, Allah.

The meaning of the Mill in an international dimension:

          Taking into consideration the fact that the symbol is presented in an international arena, the analysis of the myth of the mill and the flowing water is destined to match with world myths, to easily absorb the universal message.            The mill is an important node in the symbolism of “movement, transformation and life itself”. Milling grains use water and wind (giving the latter a positive value), two vital elements of nature, show the flow of time, as wheat is ground into white flour and “sacrificed” for bread which is a symbol of new life- it is the daily bread and at the same time the spiritual food. The slogan “Food for the Planet and Energy for Life”, as the mill that produces food and energy, can be also considered fulfilled. From a simple mechanical process of mill movement, the wheel of time that “grinds” physical life is also analyzed. A life-sacrifice process that generates Immortal Life: the transformation of raw material into flour, and then into bread, in a constant motion.

          The tradition and the innovation, exactly the two beams bearing the concept of the Albanian Pavilion itself, are explored graphically in the dedicated space:         

• Culture and traditions are outlined through the Mill that grinds cereals, produces food, ensures living, coexistence and harmony;

• The future and sustainable development, expressed through Digital Concepts focus on Biodiversity, Gastronomy, Organic Agriculture, Rural Development, Culinary Traditions of different provinces, Hospitality Dockets, Occidental influences on nutrition and cooking, change and culture of new tastes, laboratory research on soil quality to cultivate rare plants that may have advantages in the future with climate change, sustainable development for those typical cultivations and Albanian peculiarities.

Albania National Day on World Expo:

Day organized under the grace of Mother Teresa, with the twofold mission to not only celebrate a figure that is a motive of pride for every Albanian, but also to emphasize her mission, of a dedicated woman who is often referred to the most powerful woman in the world , as with her heart she has nourished the poor all over the world. Day of Albania was marked by a series of cultural concerts, the Folklore Ensemble of TKOB, the Ensemble of Arbëresh “Roses of Arbër”; tastings of typical Albanian slow-food.