Country Demographics:

• Population:  3.5 million
• Religions:  Muslim 70%, Albanian Orthodox 20%, Roman Catholic 10%
• Income Per Capita:  $1,380 year/ $3.83 day
• Government Type:  Emerging democracy
  Chief of State:  President of the Republic Alfred MOISIU (since July 2002)
  Head of Government:  Prime Minister Fatos NANO (since July 2002)

Legal Profession:

• Estimated number of lawyers in Albania is 1200
• Estimated number of believers involved in the legal profession is 100
• The name of the local Christian group is AI-Albania.  It has a network of 15 Christian lawyers headed by Mr. Fatmir Laçej. AI-Albania was established in 2002.

Major Activities of Christian Lawyers:

AI lawyers in Albania are involved in the following activities:

• Organizing business breakfasts
• Coordinating group prayers and fellowship
• Participating in court cases
• Developing legislation
• Organizing judiciary conferences
• Promoting the importance of ethics in the rule of law

Convocation Goals:

• The Global Convocation organized by Advocates International will provide AI-Albania and the lawyers of the country with an impetus for developing more useful approaches for working together in the region and beyond. Furthermore, it will stimulate deeper commitment to shaping relationships not only between participating lawyers, but also between them and the Lord. 

Prayer Items:

• Guidance for young Albanian lawyers, that they may find their way in sharing God’s love
• Development of the newly initiated AI-Albania ministry
• God-given wisdom for Albanian politicians to lead the country through the hard political and economic times facing the country
• Developing successful approaches for reducing daily corruption in the legal, business, and judicial spheres of government 

Contact Information:

• Fatmir Laçej flacej@icc-al.org

ªAlbania In Actionª

The former “North Korea of Europe” has made greater progress in religious freedom than perhaps any former communist nation anywhere.  For example, the official residence of the former dictator Enver Hoja (who in 1967 declared Atheism as Albania’s official religion) now serves as Grace Community Church of Tirana.  This would have been impossible if Christian lawyers had not provided input to Albania’s new Constitution and allowed to practice law. Twenty years ago the mere possession of a Bible guaranteed ten years in prison.  Today the Chancellor of Tirana’s District Courts is Toni Gogu, a lawyer serving as President of the Albanian Evangelical Alliance.  In communist days, the Courts railroaded people to prison. Today the motto for Albania’s judiciary is, “Justice is truth in action,” penned by Benjamin Disraeli, Britain’s 19^th Century Prime Minister who was a follower of Christ.  Nearly every judge has a paperweight on his or her desk with the motto, a gift from Advocates International.