The proposals of the enlarged assembly of socialists, internal polls and the support of the base are convincing Edi Rama about the name he will decide to run for mayor of Vlora on May 14.
The name is known to the socialists of Vlonia and not only, as a person with contributions in the community but also within the party. It is about Fate Velajn, an old acquaintance of Edi Rama, who served as a councilor from 2013 to 2017, then a deputy as a representative of the Voluntary Socialists until 2021.
Velaj is known in the international arena as a creator of political-cultural strategies and initiatives, creator and moderator of conferences as well as curator of international exhibitions.
He was born in 1963 and completed his studies at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna for art and culture management.
From 2001 to 2014, he held the position of chairman of the Weltoffen International Forum. From 2005 to 2013 he was the curator of the Vienna MC Forum
During his career, he has received many awards and honors. In 2019, the Austrian President granted him the title of professor on the recommendation of the diplomatic academy of Vienna. In Cleveland, USA, he was honored with a resolution of appreciation from the mayor in 2014.
He also holds the Knight's Gold Cross of the First Class awarded by the Austrian Presidency in 2013, while he received the Honor of the Republic medal from the Austrian government.
In 2003 he won Sanremo Arte and in 2011, the President of the European Parliament awarded him the high medal 'European Citizen'.
Fate Velaj has organized in Vlora international conferences on economy, tourism, European integration as well as art and culture.
He has presented the developments of Vlora in the highest European institutions such as the European Parliament in Brussels. In Namur, in Vienna, Linz, Salzburg, Scheibbs, Wels, Zagreb, Bucharest, Craiova, Bari, Rome, Bratislava and others.
As a writer, he has a number of novels translated into several languages, from Kreuztanne, to Ithaca, or the political-cultural autobiography of work in Europe, "100 steps inside Europe"
In addition, he has also published compilations and albums with works of art in painting and photography, among which he has published some of his writings, such as essays and essays:
He has presented his works in painting and photography in the most famous galleries and museums of Europe, the world and the Albanian lands, such as in Vienna, Brussels, Birmingham, Leamington, New York, Boston, Cairo, Athens, Bucharest, Rome, Otranto, Putignano , Polignano, Sanremo, Trieste, Craiova, Scheibbs,, Baden, Mödling, Ried, Piestany, Tirana, Vlora, Durrës, Saranda, Pogradec, Fier, Skopje, Gostivar, Ohrid, Pristina, etc.