Albania’s protest movement has made me reflect on the Irish Tricolour

Sir, – As Albania’s “Flamingo Revolution” continues to gather thousands of peaceful protesters each evening in the capital, Tirana, the prominent display of the Albanian flag is striking. It has become a symbol not of party politics, but of citizens reclaiming the ideals that inspired Albania’s independence.

It has made me reflect on the Irish Tricolour. Those who fought for Irish independence also envisaged a republic founded on equality, justice and the common good. Yet today, the Tricolour is sometimes used by far-right anti-immigrant groups to promote exclusion and division that are at odds with those ideals.

As an Albanian living in Ireland, I find the contrast difficult to ignore. In one country, the national flag is carried by citizens seeking to reclaim democratic values; in the other, it is sometimes used to define who does and does not belong.

National flags belong to all citizens. They are at their best when they unite us in sport, national celebrations or commemorations, and in defence of the democratic values they were intended to represent. – Yours, etc,