Students from Berlin's Refik Veseli School traveled to Tirana to mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day, joining peers from the Gjimnazi Sami Frashëri in honoring the legacy of an Albanian Muslim who saved Jews during World War Two. The German school, located in a diverse immigrant district, was renamed in 2014 after Refik Veseli, who sheltered a Jewish family from 1942 to 1944 in keeping with 'besa,' Albania's code of honor that demands protection of those in danger.

During the ceremony, students highlighted the moral courage shown by ordinary Albanians who rescued nearly 2,000 Jewish refugees. They planted an olive tree and spoke out against antisemitism, emphasizing unity across religious and cultural lines. Several German students reflected on their own family histories and the responsibility they feel to confront the past and defend democracy.

The visit also revisited the dramatic story of the Mandil family, whom Veseli and his parents hid after helping them evade Nazi forces. Honored by Yad Vashem in 1987, Veseli became a symbol of humanitarian bravery that continues to inspire young people in both countries.

Amid rising antisemitism in Europe and political tensions in Albania, educators and diplomats stressed the importance of remembrance and tolerance. Albania, which today has a small Jewish population but strong ties with Israel, is expanding Holocaust memorial sites and museums, presenting 'besa' as a living principle of standing against hatred and injustice.