SOFT DIPLOMATIC POWER OF THE ALBANIAN DIASPORA
SOFT DIPLOMATIC POWER OF THE ALBANIAN DIASPORA
A PowerPoint presentation with explanations for each slide, delivered by Mr. Mal Berisha, former Albanian diplomat, for the Columbia University Albanian Society (CUAS),in collaboration with the Albanian Professionals & Entrepreneurs Network (APEN)
February 6, 2026, 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM
Columbia University, Low Library, New York, USA
Columbia University Albanian Society is honored to announce our upcoming event, Soft Diplomacy of Albanian Diaspora: A Discussion with Mal Berisha, Former Ambassador of Albania to the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Mal Berisha is a former Albanian diplomat and scholar who served as Ambassador of the Republic of Albania to the United Kingdom and Ireland from 2012 to 2015. His diplomatic career includes roles as Consul General of Albania in Istanbul, senior official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and member of the UNMIK International Staff in Kosovo.
In addition to his diplomatic service, Berisha is a noted scholar and author whose work focuses on the perception of Albanians in Anglo-American scholarship, Albanian national identity, and cultural diplomacy. He has lectured at leading institutions including the Kennedy School of Government, the London School of Economics, and the YIVO Institute of Jewish Research. In 2017, he was awarded the title Knight Commander of Skanderbeg’s Cordon by the President of Albania.
It is our pleasure to welcome him to Columbia, for a conversation on soft diplomacy, the role of the Albanian diaspora in shaping global perception, and the ways cultural engagement and community leadership influence international dialogue beyond formal state institutions.
The event will start with a moderated discussion with Mr. Berisha, followed by audience questions and conversation, and will conclude with structured networking. We look forward to an engaging and insightful evening.
