10/28/2025
A Powerful Meeting for Justice, Human Rights & U.S.–Albanian Relations
U.S. Senator Cory Booker — Senior Senator from New Jersey and a Member of the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations — meets with former U.S. Congressman Joe DioGuardi and The Albanian American Civic Leagua AACL, to address the urgent need for justice for the Albanians of Presheva and the surrounding region in Kosovo/Serbia, a community that continues to face discrimination and systematic oppression.
Joe DioGuardi made history in 1986 as the first U.S. Congressman to stand up publicly for the rights of Albanians in Yugoslavia. Since then, he has never stopped defending truth, human dignity, and the rights of Albanians in Kosovo, North Macedonia, Presheva, Çamëria, and Montenegro.
He is the Founder and President of the Albanian American Civic League (AACL) — the only Albanian-American organization that has brought the Albanian national cause directly to the U.S. Congress.
Senator Booker’s involvement is especially meaningful due to his role on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee — the key U.S. institution shaping international diplomacy, human rights policy, and America’s position on the Balkans.
The bond between Senator Booker and Congressman DioGuardi is also rooted in shared values. DioGuardi was the first and only U.S. Congressman who fought for the long-ignored rights of African-American soldiers who fought bravely under the U.S. flag in world wars, yet were denied the Medal of Honor they deserved.
Because of his relentless efforts, the first Medal of Honor was finally awarded to a Black American soldier, correcting a historic injustice.
For his lifelong service, Joe DioGuardi remains the only U.S. Congressman honored by four U.S. Presidents — recognition earned for his moral leadership, integrity, and fearless advocacy for human rights.
Today, more than 100,000 Albanian-heritage Americans live in New Jersey, (near 250,000 in New York) forming one of the most active and patriotic Albanian-American communities in the United States, strongly committed to the values of freedom, democracy, and U.S.–Albanian partnership.
Now at 85 years old, Joe DioGuardi continues his mission with unwavering energy — working daily for justice and dignity for the Albanians of Presheva and Bujanovc, who remain unfairly under Serbian administration.
Senator Cory Booker and Congressman Joe DioGuardi stand united for human dignity, equal rights, and long-overdue justice for the Albanian people of the Presheva Valley.
This meeting is more than symbolic, it sends a powerful message that the fight for freedom, democracy, and human rights for Joe DioGuardi never ends.