About 200 albanologists from over 15 different countries have gathered in Pristina to participate in the 42nd edition of the International Seminar on Albanian Language, Literature and Culture.
During the opening ceremony of the seminar, which this year marks the 50th anniversary of its establishment, it was appreciated to have played a historic role in preserving the Albanian national identity.
The President of the Academy of Sciences and Arts of Kosovo, Mehmet Kraja, said that for many years this seminar has given knowledge and knowledge about Albanian and Albanians to many researchers who have subsequently become great supporters of Kosovo.
“The seminar experienced the same ups and downs that Kosovo went through, that the University, Academy and other educational, scientific and cultural institutions of Kosovo went through. After 1981, the seminary was attacked precisely as an instigator of Albanian nationalism and irredentism at a time when it remained a symbol of an identitarian Kosovo, a symbol of science and knowledge,” said Mr. Kraja.
The director of the seminar, Bardh Rugova, said that in this 50th anniversary, the gratitude goes to the academics Idriz Ajeti and Rexhep Ismjali who, as he said, paved the way for the rise of Albanianology in the world.
“50 years ago, two men, looking at the experience of the surrounding countries, thought of establishing an institution that would be a school for learning Albanian for foreigners. It was originally named as the Center of Albanian Culture for Foreigners and 27 guests had come from what was the genesis of the institution whose 50th anniversary we are celebrating today”, said Mr. Rugova.
Participants told VOA that the workshop provides an excellent opportunity to deepen their knowledge.
“Our ancestors are from Kosovo and they fled to Turkey where my grandfather was born, then he moved to Syria where my father was born who then fled to Dubai where I was born. I am now studying in Istanbul. I'm very proud to be here and I'm very proud of my bloodline, my father always told me don't forget your bloodline and your language,” said Albano Junes from Dubai.
“Albanians have been an island not only ethnic, but a very special island and this has pushed me to study more medieval Albania and especially how the Albanian people passed from the Byzantine Middle Ages to the Islamic and Ottoman Middle Ages. That's why I came here, I'm a historian, so I graduated in history, and I'm more attracted to the historical part than the philological part. I'm very happy, it's the first year, so it's the first time I've participated in this seminar, and I hope we open our cultural horizons and knowledge a little more”, said Marko from Rome.
“Certainly the fact that I am from Arbër has helped me a lot in my interest in Albanian culture and history. It's good that I have continued this interest, and my interest is exactly in history and language, but I am also very interested in the ethnographic part, as well as a little more local history and music. My interest is very great, I can say it's more my passion because I deal with something else, I'm an art historian”, said Gabriele from Sicilia.
“I really like Prishtina, people are very warm and sociable, they talk to us on the street when they hear us speaking German. Also the architecture here is very special, I really like the National Library, it's very interesting”, said Benito from Austria.
The International Seminar on Albanian Language, Literature and Culture was founded in 1974 and was held regularly until 1991, when it was banned by the Serbian authorities. In 1995 and 1996, its sessions were held in Tirana, while since 2000, the seminar has returned to Pristina. Researchers value it as one of the most fruitful projects for the development of Albanian language, literature and culture.
