In celebration of World Blood Donor Day, the Albanian Organization of Voluntary Blood Donors, in partnership with the National Blood Transfusion Center, hosted the annual awareness event “The Flame of Love and Solidarity” at the Artificial Lake Dam in Tirana. The event aimed to highlight the life-saving importance of voluntary blood donation and to encourage public participation in strengthening the national blood supply. Representatives of the government, the Ministry of Health, and the Italian Embassy in Tirana were also invited.

Citizens aged 18 to 60 were invited to join the initiative and donate blood, contributing to a vital healthcare resource that saves lives every day.

World Blood Donor Day, observed globally each year on June 14, pays tribute to the millions of voluntary blood donors who give selflessly to help others. Established by the World Health Organization in 2004, the day serves both as a celebration of generosity and a reminder of the continuous need for safe, voluntary, and unpaid blood donations.

This year’s theme, “Give Blood, Give Hope: Together We Save Lives,” emphasizes the collective power of individual action. Across the world, millions of patients rely on blood transfusions for emergency care, surgeries, cancer treatments, and chronic conditions. Every donation is a vital contribution to saving lives and sustaining healthcare systems.

This event is part of the Ripresa Project, led by the COL’OR NGO and funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation. The initiative seeks to strengthen civic engagement and promote solidarity across communities.

In addition to honoring donors, organizers highlighted key reasons to support voluntary blood donation:

• Blood cannot be manufactured — it can only come from generous human donors.
• A safe blood supply depends on regular, voluntary, and unpaid donations.
• Each donation includes free medical screening, offering donors a chance to monitor their own health while helping others.

As the world celebrates World Blood Donor Day, Albanians join in recognizing the power of compassion and solidarity — one drop of blood at a time.