The image for Albanians from the reflection of Mother Teresa's sanctification in Italian media

Abstract

The image is a phenomenon that has always been an interest to human beings, although in recent years it has become a primary subject of conservation. What other people think about us or even what we think of them is based on the interaction we have with others in our daily lives. In this paper, the image will be seen beyond the interpersonal level, and the aim of a country's image as part of a country's public diplomacy will be explained. The purpose of this paper is to understand the way in which the coverage of Mother Teresa's consecration has affected Albania's image. The research question here is what the Italian media have had in influencing Albania’s image using their point of view. The main Italian newspapers: Corrieredella Sera, La Stampa, and La Repubblica have been selected for this paper within a two-year period, analyzing 41 articles published about Mother Teresa. Findings testify that these three newspapers have had great media coverage and in most cases, did not hide the origin of the Saint Mother Teresa, writing in the title that she was Albanian. Such an event of a person with powerful universal values positively affects the image of Albanians throughout the world.