18 September 2024|Tirana, Albania [Andreas Mazza with tedNEWS]
“Gerti, where are you going?” I asked, coming across Gerti Bogdani on Tirana Boulebard, Albania, on a hot Sabbath afternoon in the summer of 2012. “I am going to church to get baptised,” Gerti answered. “Really?” I replied, unable to hide my surprise. “Yes, I decided it just now. I have already completed Bible studies but never found the courage to get baptised before… Twenty minutes ago, upon learning that there was a baptismal ceremony at church, I went home, grabbed a bag with some clothes, and came back to be baptised. I heard the voice of Jesus calling me today…”
Many church leaders from the Adriatic Union Conference (AUC) and the Trans-European Division (TED) were present at his baptism, including its then-president, Bertil Wiklander.
I will always cherish that chance encounter—on that hot summer day in Tirana, while I was on holiday with my Albanian wife, Irida.
Gerti will be remembered for his brilliant mind, kind heart, and profound sensitivity. He was deeply in love with his wife, Edlira, and together they had two children, Aira and Reinart. His exceptional character was evident at his state funeral, where people from all walks of life—from high-ranking state officials and members of Parliament to religious leaders and thousands of Albanians—came to pay their respects. As a devoted Adventist, Gerti was a model of integrity and faith, honouring his church and community through his exemplary conduct. Today, we honour the memory of a beloved brother and friend who committed his life to Jesus, and we look forward to seeing him again in the kingdom of Heaven.
Gerti Jusuf Bogdani (7 July 1980 – 18 September 2024) was an Albanian politician and, at the time of his election, one of the youngest mayors in the country’s history. He graduated with distinction from the University of New York, earning a gold medal. Bogdani began his political career in 2007, running for the Democratic Party and winning in Municipality Unit No. 10 in the capital city, Tirana. In 2011, he was elected Vice President of the International Young Democrat Union (IYDU), and in January 2012, he became its President. By September 2015, he had been elected Chairman of the IYDU at a congress in Lisbon, Portugal, becoming the first Albanian politician to achieve such a prestigious role in an international organisation. A committed Seventh-day Adventist Christian, Bogdani was a strong advocate for Christian values and actively supported various Christian causes in Albania.¹
[Photos: Courtesy of Andreas Mazza].
¹Sources: Wikipedia and Albanian Daily News.
