ALBANIA: Albanians in Tirana celebrate independence with giant cake

Record ID: 564126

  • Title: ALBANIA: Albanians in Tirana celebrate independence with giant cake
  • Date: 28th November 2012
  • Summary: TIRANA, ALBANIA, (NOVEMBER 27, 2012) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF KOSOVO HORSEMEN WEARING NATIONAL CLOTHES WHO ARRIVED ON HORSEBACK FROM MITROVICA LIKE THEIR FOREFATHERS WHO DID THE SAME JOURNEY TO DECLARE INDEPENDENCE IN 1912 TIRANA, ALBANIA, (NOVEMBER 24, 2012) (REUTERS) CAKE SHAPED AS NATIONAL FLAG VARIOUS OF COOKS PREPARING CAKE INGREDIENTS (SOUNDBITE) (Albanian) ADRIAN M
  • Embargoed: 13th December 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Albania
  • Country: Albania
  • Topics: Politics,Population
  • Reuters ID: LVAD6U68DN7EULNWI9PQPC9HZOIT
  • Story Text: It started as the idea of two young Albanian confectioners, who wanted to give their people a special present for the 100th anniversary of independence.
    It ended in the biggest cake that Albania has ever tasted, measuring 550 square meters and weighing some 14 tons.
    "We are making this cake as a present to all Albanians wherever they are in the world for the celebration of the 100th anniversary of independence," confectioner Adrian Millonai said.
    "The cake has these dimensions: 550 square meters and it will weigh roughly 14 tons. The cake will have two distinctive flavors that symbolise Albanians: the pomegranate symbolising unity and rebirth and the olive leaf representing goodness and peace," colleague Alfred Marku said.
    Some 150 people worked on the giant cake baked to resemble the Albanian flag draped over the city.
    The main celebrations take place in the capital Tirana and the coastal town of Vlora where Albanian notables declared the country's independence in 1912.
    Albanians from all around the world arrived in Albania for this special day, with a large number arriving from Kosovo, some on foot, bicycles or horseback to represent the journey taken by their forefathers who made the same trek 100 years ago.
    Local media said hotels were fully booked out for the occasion.
    Several open-air concerts will be held in the city, while hundreds of entertainers are on hand to add to the celebratory mood.
    The peak of celebrations will be the concert of a Kosovo-born pop starlet Rita Ora, who cleared her schedule to perform for free in Tirana.
    Tirana has meanwhile been decked out with the Albanian flag and its colours, hanging from public buildings, businesses, private homes, cars and motorcycles.
    This cake, sponsored by local municipalities and the local flour company, could even make it into the Guinness book of world records if the arrangements are made in time, say the confectioners.
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