A greet between two world leaders usually includes a firm handshake and a hug but Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama went the extra mile garnering the attention of the world.
Rama put aside his umbrella, knelt on the red carpet and folded his hands as he welcomed Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at the European Political Community summit in Tirana.
As Meloni got down on the red carpet, Rama knelt playfully on the ground, as he often does for his Italian sister.
The summit was also attended by French President Emmanuel Macron. “Here’s the Sun king,” Rama said as he hugged Macron welcoming him to the summit.
The Albanian PM also escorted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for talks on Ukraine, migration, and broader European cooperation.
Tallest Leader Governing Smallest Country
What also stood out in the images that came out from the event was Rama’s height, towering at six feet seven inches.
“It’s true that I am the tallest among them, but I lead a country that is one of the smallest, and for us, it’s already a big honour to host this summit,” he told AFP.
Ahead of the talks, the leaders were greeted in an unconventional manner: AI-generated baby portraits of themselves with some sporting facial hair or glasses.
The mini-version of the leaders was projected on a giant screen, each declaring, “Welcome to Albania.” The light-hearted gesture lightened up the mood of a typically reserved diplomatic crowd.
The Albanian PM also took a humourous dig at the UK, blaming its delegation for the unexpected rain. “There was a suspicion, but it became scientific proof from the European weather forecast institute that the persisting – and not indigenous – rain was brought by the British delegation,” he said.
The summit was started in 2022 at the initiative of Macron following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The summit brought together EU member states and 20 other European nations.
