Albanian Ervis Taluri in Bulgaria: Growing up between two cultures is a treasure

The story of Ervis Taluri is a journey between Albania and Bulgaria, between two cultures that he now feels are an inseparable part of himself.

His journey began in a turbulent period for Albania. After 1997, when the country was experiencing major social and economic crises, many young people were looking for a future abroad.

"At a certain point, when I left the country, I saw that the reality was completely different and I wanted to develop my life somewhere where I would feel more secure," he recalls. A chance meeting with a friend who was studying in Sofia opened a new path for him. "I immediately accepted the idea. I came very quickly, back in 2001. I was 13-14 years old then, and I see this decision as one of the most positive steps in my life."

In the Bulgarian capital, Talluri became part of the Sofia Theological Seminary "Saint John of Rila". "Life there was very interesting because the discipline was very strict and it shaped our character in a way we would not have imagined before." Although integration in a big city was not easy, his teachers and friends helped him to speak Bulgarian and feel part of the community for a few months.

After this stage, his studies took him to the Ruse University "Angel Kanchev". At first, he experienced the fact that he was not accepted to Sofia University as a failure, but very soon he realized that Ruse would open up new perspectives for him. "Although the University in Ruse was smaller, great perspectives opened up for me there. During the first week, I met a student who offered me to be part of the University's Student Council. My answer, which was "yes", introduced me to a path that gave me many opportunities."

After his experience at the University of Ruse and international internships, Ervis Taluri's professional path took him to specific projects in Albania. He says: "During my studies, since I was very active in the student life of the university, I was given the opportunity to apply for various internships in companies that were involved in international projects. I managed to successfully complete these internships and the moment I graduated, I was immediately offered a job with a project in Tirana."

Although the position is a dream come true for him, there are challenges. "I had to manage people who had worked in this industry, but we had an age difference of 15-20 years and I had to be their manager. I had to solve their problems, but the trust of the management and the self-confidence that I had allowed me to successfully implement this project." This early experience in management, he says, gave him the skills and self-confidence that he would later need in other initiatives.

After returning to Sofia to pursue his doctoral studies, Talluri realized that he also wanted to engage in building bridges between the two countries. Together with other colleagues, he founded the Association for Bulgarian-Albanian Friendship. "I see the creation of the association as something very positive, it took part in some processes, such as the recognition of the Bulgarian minority in Albania, the asphalting of the Bilisht-Varnik road and the arrival of over a thousand students to study in Bulgaria."

The association is not just a public forum, but a platform for concrete actions and for facilitating contacts between ordinary people, beyond business and politics. Talluri says that his influence has been visible. Such a forum is important for bringing people together, for creating opportunities and for supporting the development of education and culture.

After these social challenges, he took up a completely new venture - business. During the pandemic, together with a close friend, he brought a special product to Bulgaria: Tibetan momos.

"The idea was born one evening when a friend of mine had returned from studying in Far Asia and his wife had cooked something traditional from their culture. Since she grew up in Tibet, she had cooked gyoza and momo. We really liked the way the food was both healthy and tasty and we decided to bring this thing to the Bulgarian market." The first two years were very successful, but as in any business, they also faced strategic challenges from which they gained experience.

For a year now, Taluri has taken on another major responsibility – the leadership of the Bulgarian-Albanian Business Chamber. He says that the idea was born from the constant need of companies to build bridges with Albania:

"Since during these years I have consulted several times with companies that wanted to enter the Albanian market, almost every year this need increased. I also met with colleagues who noticed the same trend, we also had the support of the Albanian embassy in Sofia and we decided to implement this idea." Business chambers have a clear role: to create contacts, mediate for cooperation and support economic development.

Ervis Taluri notes that the work has begun to bear fruit: "Yes, the beginning was a bit difficult, but we hope to soon organize meetings of business delegations between our organization and other organizations in Albania.

" There is no shortage of plans for the future. He and his brother are launching a new initiative – to represent a company that produces organic cosmetics in Albania. In parallel, the idea is for the business chamber to expand its activities to other cities such as Plovdiv, strengthening regional and trade ties.

Although the challenges are numerous, Ervis Taluri sees a great opportunity in combining his intercultural and professional life. "Growing up between two cultures is a wealth first and foremost, because whatever the culture, it enriches the character of a person. It is also a privilege. Not every person has this opportunity and those of us who have it should use it. It is an opportunity. It is like looking at different landscapes from two windows and having the opportunity to choose. If I could go back, I would make the same choice."

Ervis Taluri's path shows that being Albanian in Bulgaria is not just a personal story, but an opportunity to build bridges of friendship, to contribute to society and to create sustainable relations between the two countries.

Photos: Ervis Taluri's private archive

English publication: R. Petkova

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Albanian Ervis Taluri in Bulgaria: Growing up between two cultures is a treasure

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