Albanian American Womans Organization • Motrat Qiriazi •

2003

EVENT: National Treasure Exhibit
DATE: May 4, 2003
LOCATION: New Yorker Hotel - New York, NY

DETAILS: The National Treasure Exhibit gave the Albanian-American community the first opportunity to see crafts -- some of which are hundreds of years old -- that were rescued by women living in “Krusha e Vogel” and other nearby villages in Kosova. Among the many exhibited pieces were wedding dresses, vests made with golden and silver threads, jewel-studded belts, and rugs. The fabrics were woven in magical colors where women had poured out their dreams, desires, and hopes for a better future. Even though their lives were oppressed and most of them had never left their villages for even one day throughout their lives, they enriched their world through their arts and crafts, weaving a legacy of stories and dreams for their children. The women of Krusha had kept their work in trunks, many of which burned together with their houses during the war. The pieces that survived made it to New York thanks to Luljeta Çeku, director and actress, most recently living in London, who has collected these treasures through her mother in-law who lives in Kosova.

Mailing Address: AAWO | 676A Ninth Avenue, Suite 425 | New York, NY 10036 Tel: 1 (212) 244-8440 | Fax: 1 (212) 751-7782 E-Mail: contact@aawomq.org