TIRANA, Sept 13 /ATA/ Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sports Blendi Gonxhja said in a social‑media video message that the “Dea of Butrint” is returning home, giving visitors the chance to see the artefact up close.

The return of this treasured work of Albania’s heritage follows a journey from the ancient city to Rome and then to the National Historical Museum in Tirana.

Tourism, Culture and Sports Minister Blendi Gonxhja said one of the most valuable works of Albania’s archaeological heritage is returning to the site where it was discovered. “The return of the Dea enriches Butrint’s narrative and allows visitors to see up close an extraordinary testimony of history, art and our shared European heritage,” he added.

According to him, with more than 200,000 visitors in the first eight months of the year, Butrint is strengthening its role as one of Albania’s leading cultural‑tourism destinations — a place where heritage is not only a testimony of the past but also creates knowledge, opportunities and development for the future.

Gonxhja thanked the entire team that worked on the re‑musealisation of the Dea in Butrint, while also expressing deep gratitude to the AADF and pledging support for success models — which he described as a tangible example through the Butrint Management Foundation.

/sm/