Butterfly Gallery, an exhibition run by Nejat Society Albania

In light and warmth of art and sound and thoughts, Nejat Society Albania organized the “Butterfly” exhibition – a gallery of photographs and caricatures that speak aloud. Placed carefully in every corner of the hall, these artistic works narrate the history and the life of Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK).

The “Butterfly,” the symbol of freedom and transformation, was not chosen by chance. Like the butterfly emerging from its cocoon, many of the former MEK members have emerged from the darkness of manipulation and isolation, to finally find light and free air in Albania.

Through the images on display, viewers travel through painful realities: faces without smiles, eyes that speak of hopelessness, gloomy environments and constant checks. But at the same time, the gallery also offers glimpses of rebirth – people who today walk freely, who smile with their families, who say their names and identities out loud. They are former members of the MEK.

The cartoons, with their sharp pen and subtle irony, strike at the closed system of the MEK. They reveal the absurdity of life under command, where free thought was forbidden, and love for family was considered treason. One particularly poignant cartoon shows a member of the organization trying to embrace the shadow of his mother behind an iron curtain. It is a metaphor for the lost years, for the longing that was never heard, and for the fundamental right to love.

This gallery is not just an art exhibition. It is an act of remembrance. It is a voice for those who have been silenced for years. It is an invitation to reflection for all of us – to understand how precious freedom is and how quickly it can be taken away when we lose the right to choose our own lives.

On behalf of the Nejat Society Albania and in solidarity with all those who have suffered under the MEK’s oppression, this gallery remains a window of hope and courage. Because every butterfly that rises above the earth is a soul that has regained freedom.

Etleva Sulollari