The President of the Italian Football Association, Gabriele Gravina, attended the AFA General Electoral Assembly in his capacity as UEFA Vice President. In his welcome speech, Gravina praised the development and progress of Albanian football under President Duka’s leadership, while also emphasizing the importance of sustained cooperation between the two federations and the role football plays in strengthening identity, friendship, and shared European values.
Full speech of the President of the Italian Football Federation, Gabriele Gravina, at the AFA General Electoral Assembly:
“For me, it is a great pleasure and pride to share this day of discussion, with the desire and joy of sharing one of the most beautiful dimensions of our sport, football, which is the feeling of friendship, the appreciation of the values we aim to promote through the game.
It is a source of pride to meet again with the delegates, to embrace the culture of a country I personally love, a culture I cultivate through art and through the sense of friendship with many Albanian protagonists living in our country, in Italy.
I am proud that today, in a world where many seek protagonism and to be in the spotlight, I can witness, together with Armand Duka, the real conditions, true values, real projects, and genuine vision of a world like football.
I thank Armand because together we have shared the opportunity to make an important contribution to the true territorial identity of our countries at the international level. This is one of the most inspiring moments of our sporting activity.
Because we know, and are aware, that football is not just a game. Football is made up of living places, places where territorial identity is formed, strengthened, and transmitted.
But above all, we know that football, for our youth and for many young people approaching our sport, is a world of collective belonging, the first place of collective belonging that extends beyond family and school.
I want to thank Armand for the great support he has personally given me and to our country, Italy, which is invaluable. Together, we have had the pleasure, honor, and above all the excitement, during my electoral assembly on February 3, 2025, to also experience a great moment of strengthening our friendship, including a private audience with His Holiness, Pope Francis. It was a wonderful moment in which we further consolidated our friendship.
Today is a day of celebration, a day where the foundations are laid for building a vision for the future of your football, which is in fact also our football. It is the football of Albania and the football of our wonderful Europe.
Therefore, success and congratulations to Armand, but above all, success to all of you for your work and your families.
And always: Long live football!”
