During a visit to the city of Gjirokastër, American Ambassador Yuri Kim was handed the “Key to the City”. At the reception held in the Municipality of Gjirokastër, the mayor Flamur Golemi, in a symbolic way, handed over the “Key to the City” to Ambassador Kim.

“On behalf of the citizens of Gjirokastër, I have the privilege and honor today to give the “Key to the City” to a friend of Albanians, of Gjirokastër in particular. Today, in fact, we are having an official meeting, but the ambassador has been in Gjirokastër more than 10 times physically and has done much more for Gjirokastër, for tourism in Gjirokastër, promoting Gjirokastër in Tirana, Albania, but also abroad Albanian. The fact that the number of tourists is increasing more and more, in 2022 we have had about 200 thousand tourists, there are also many American tourists who come to Gjirokastër. Undoubtedly, here is the merit, support and dedicated work of the ambassador and from now friend of Gjirokastër, and we will welcome her no longer as an ambassador but as a citizen who already has the key to this magical city”, affirmed the Mayor, Flamur Golemi.

The US ambassador, Yuri Kim, said: “I feel honored to be here today and you know very well that Gjirokastër is a special place for me, it is one of the most beautiful places in Albania. Although you actually generously said that I was the person who helped tourism here. The truth is that the world is learning about Gjirokastër and a part of me would like the whole world to know and recognize it, but another part would like to keep it a secret because it is beautiful. And I hope that the more people who come to Albania and Gjirokastër will appreciate this place as a precious treasure, come to visit this stone city with those roofs placed on top of each other but above all for the golden heart that the citizens have” following the visit, Ambassador Kim was present in the museum area of ​​Gjirokastër.