Gerti Bogdani, the visionary politician and defender of Christian values

By Andreas Mazza

" Gerty, where are you going ?" I asked him, when I ran into Gerti Bogdan on the boulevard of Tirana, Albania, on a hot Saturday afternoon in the summer of 2012.

" I am going to the church to be baptized, " he answered.

"Really?" I reacted, unable to hide my surprise.

" Yes, I decided just now. I finished my Bible study a long time ago, but I never found the courage to be baptized before... Twenty minutes ago, when I learned that a baptism ceremony was going to be held in the church, I went home, took a bag with some clothes and I went back to be baptized. I heard the voice of Jesus calling me today ."

Many leaders from the Adriatic Union Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church (AUC) and the Trans-European Division (TED) were present at Gert's baptism, including its then-president, Bertil Wiklander.

I will always remember that chance meeting on that hot summer day in Tirana while I was on vacation with my Albanian wife, Irida.

Gerti Bogdani died suddenly from cardiac arrest on September 18. He was 44 years old.

Gert will be remembered for his brilliant mind, his big heart and his deep empathy. He was deeply in love with his wife, Edlira, and together they had two children, Aira and Reinart.

His extraordinary character was also demonstrated at his state ceremony, where people from all walks of life — from high-ranking state officials and members of parliament, to religious leaders and thousands of Albanians — came to pay their last respects.

As a devoted Adventist, Gerti was an example of integrity and faith, honoring his church and community through his exemplary conduct. We honor the memory of a dear brother and friend who gave his life to Jesus, and look forward to meeting him again in the kingdom of heaven.

About Gerti Bogdan

Gerti Jusuf Bogdani (July 7, 1980 – September 18, 2024) was an Albanian politician and, at the time of his first election, one of the youngest mayors in the country's history. He graduated with honors from New York University, winning the gold medal. Bogdani started his political career in 2007, running for the Democratic Party and winning in Municipal Unit No. 10 in the capital, Tirana. In 2009, he was elected a deputy in the Albanian Parliament, where he served until 2017.

In 2011, he was elected vice-president of the International Union of Young Democrats (IYDU), and in January 2012 he became the president of this union. In September 2015, Gerti was elected president of the IYDU at a congress held in Lisbon, Portugal, becoming the first Albanian politician to achieve such a prestigious role in an international organization.

As a committed Adventist, Bogdani was a strong defender of Christian values ​​and actively supported various Christian causes in Albania.