Congress of Manastir
Encyclopedia
The Congress of Manastir was an academic conference
held in the city of Manastir (Bitola) from November 14 to November 22, 1908, with the goal of standardizing the Albanian alphabet
. November 22 is now a commemorative day, known as Alphabet Day . Prior to the Congress, the Albanian language
was represented by a combination of six distinct alphabets, plus a number of sub-variants.
, which was also the place of the Union Association (Albanian language
: Bashkimi) and led by Mit'hat Frashëri, chairman of the congress. The introductory speech was made by Fehim Zavalani.
, as well as throughout the Albanian diaspora
. There were fifty delegates, representing twenty-three Albanian-inhabited cities, towns, and cultural and patriotic associations. Thirty-two of the participants had voting rights in the congress, and eighteen were observers.
was elected chairman of the commission, while Mit'hat Frashëri became its vice-chairman. Luigj Gurakuqi
became the secretary of the commission. The other five members of the commission were Bajo Topulli
, Ndre Mjeda
, Shahin Kolonja
, Gjergj Qiriazi
and Sotir Peçi
. Mit'hat Frashëri was also elected chairman of the congress and Parashqevi Qiriazi
chairwoman of the commission of the alphabet, which was responsible for the organization of the various alphabet proposals.
as possible. Three distinct alphabets were proposed: the Stamboll alphabet, the Bashkimi ("Union") alphabet proposed by the Union Association, and the Agimi ("Dawn") alphabet. After the presentation of the three alphabets, the delegates voted unanimously for the use of the Bashkimi alphabet as the standard Albanian alphabet
. Both the Bashkimi and the Agimi alphabet were based on the Latin alphabet
; the Stamboll alphabet was based on the alphabet used officially in the Ottoman empire and contained mostly Latin characters, supplemented by ten improvised symbols.
has described it as "one of the most important dates of Albanian culture." In 2008 festivities were organized in Manastir, Tirana
and Pristina
to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the congress. In Albania, Kosovo and Albanian-majority areas in Macedonia
in all schools the first teaching hour was dedicated to honour the Congress and give more information to the students about it.
Academic conference
An academic conference or symposium is a conference for researchers to present and discuss their work. Together with academic or scientific journals, conferences provide an important channel for exchange of information between researchers.-Overview:Conferences are usually composed of various...
held in the city of Manastir (Bitola) from November 14 to November 22, 1908, with the goal of standardizing the Albanian alphabet
Albanian alphabet
The modern Albanian alphabet is based on the Latin alphabet, and consists of 36 letters:Note: The vowels are shown in bold. to the pronunciation of the letters.-History:...
. November 22 is now a commemorative day, known as Alphabet Day . Prior to the Congress, the Albanian language
Albanian language
Albanian is an Indo-European language spoken by approximately 7.6 million people, primarily in Albania and Kosovo but also in other areas of the Balkans in which there is an Albanian population, including western Macedonia, southern Montenegro, southern Serbia and northwestern Greece...
was represented by a combination of six distinct alphabets, plus a number of sub-variants.
Background
The congress was held at the house of Fehim ZavalaniFehim Zavalani
Fehim Zavalani was an Albanian journalist and activist of the Albanian National Awakening. He was also the editor of Bashkimi i Kombit, one of the most important Albanian newspapers of the era...
, which was also the place of the Union Association (Albanian language
Albanian language
Albanian is an Indo-European language spoken by approximately 7.6 million people, primarily in Albania and Kosovo but also in other areas of the Balkans in which there is an Albanian population, including western Macedonia, southern Montenegro, southern Serbia and northwestern Greece...
: Bashkimi) and led by Mit'hat Frashëri, chairman of the congress. The introductory speech was made by Fehim Zavalani.
Participants
The participants in the Congress were prominent figures of the cultural and political life from Albanian-inhabited territories in the BalkansBalkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
, as well as throughout the Albanian diaspora
Albanian diaspora
The Albanian diaspora encompasses Albanians outside of Albania and Kosovo.The greatest concentrations are found in Turkey, Macedonia, Montenegro, Greece and Italy...
. There were fifty delegates, representing twenty-three Albanian-inhabited cities, towns, and cultural and patriotic associations. Thirty-two of the participants had voting rights in the congress, and eighteen were observers.
Commission
At the beginning of the Congress, the delegates elected a commission consisting of eight members, which would organize the debates of the delegates and the other projects of the Congress. Gjergj FishtaGjergj Fishta
Gjergj Fishta was an Albanian Franciscan friar, poet, rilindas, and a translator. Notably he was the chairman of the commission of the Congress of Monastir, which sanctioned the Albanian alphabet. In 1937 he completed and published his epic masterpiece Lahuta e Malcis, an epic poem written in Gheg...
was elected chairman of the commission, while Mit'hat Frashëri became its vice-chairman. Luigj Gurakuqi
Luigj Gurakuqi
Luigj Gurakuqi was an Albanian writer and politician. He was an important figure of the Albanian National Awakening and was honoured with the People's Hero of Albania medal.- Life :...
became the secretary of the commission. The other five members of the commission were Bajo Topulli
Bajo Topulli
Bajo Topulli was an Albanian freedom fighter. While he was a director in the Ottoman Secondary school in Monastir he founded in 1905 the "Committee for the liberation of Albania" in Korçë and led the first Albanian army against the Turkish Ottoman Empire after Skanderbeg's army and the League of...
, Ndre Mjeda
Ndre Mjeda
Ndre Mjeda was an Albanian Gheg poet. He was influenced by the Jesuit writer Anton Xanoni and the Franciscan poet Leonardo De Martino....
, Shahin Kolonja
Shahin Kolonja
Shahin Kolonja was an Albanian journalist and politician.Born in Starje, southern Albania Kolonja was a graduate of the school of civil service and had served as director of several idadiye schools. Later he was arrested in Bitola and sentenced to three years in prison for disseminating...
, Gjergj Qiriazi
Gjergj Qiriazi
Gjergj Qiriazi was an Albanian publisher and writer. He was born in Bitola, Ottoman Empire , where he attended the local school. Like his brother Gjerasim, he studied at the American College in Samokov, Bulgaria...
and Sotir Peçi
Sotir Peçi
Sotir Peçi was an Albanian politician, educator and mathematician. In 1906 he published the first Albanian-language newspaper in the United States of America in Boston. In 1908 he participated as a delegate in the Congress of Monastir...
. Mit'hat Frashëri was also elected chairman of the congress and Parashqevi Qiriazi
Parashqevi Qiriazi
Parashqevi Qiriazi was an Albanian teacher who dedicated her life to the Albanian alphabet and to the instruction of written Albanian language. She was a woman participant at the Congress of Monastir, which decided the form of the Albanian alphabet, and the founder of the Yll' i Mengjesit, a...
chairwoman of the commission of the alphabet, which was responsible for the organization of the various alphabet proposals.
Proceedings
The delegates decided that the Albanian alphabet and its orthography should be as phonemicPhonemic orthography
A phonemic orthography is a writing system where the written graphemes correspond to phonemes, the spoken sounds of the language. In terms of orthographic depth, these are termed shallow orthographies, contrasting with deep orthographies...
as possible. Three distinct alphabets were proposed: the Stamboll alphabet, the Bashkimi ("Union") alphabet proposed by the Union Association, and the Agimi ("Dawn") alphabet. After the presentation of the three alphabets, the delegates voted unanimously for the use of the Bashkimi alphabet as the standard Albanian alphabet
Albanian alphabet
The modern Albanian alphabet is based on the Latin alphabet, and consists of 36 letters:Note: The vowels are shown in bold. to the pronunciation of the letters.-History:...
. Both the Bashkimi and the Agimi alphabet were based on the Latin alphabet
Latin alphabet
The Latin alphabet, also called the Roman alphabet, is the most recognized alphabet used in the world today. It evolved from a western variety of the Greek alphabet called the Cumaean alphabet, which was adopted and modified by the Etruscans who ruled early Rome...
; the Stamboll alphabet was based on the alphabet used officially in the Ottoman empire and contained mostly Latin characters, supplemented by ten improvised symbols.
Legacy
The rector of South East European UniversitySouth East European University
South East European University , is a university located in Tetovo, Republic of Macedonia with a branch campus in Skopje. It is the first private-public not for profit university in Macedonia. It was founded in October 2001 and is a member of the Balkan Universities Network and an associate member...
has described it as "one of the most important dates of Albanian culture." In 2008 festivities were organized in Manastir, Tirana
Tirana
Tirana is the capital and the largest city of Albania. Modern Tirana was founded as an Ottoman town in 1614 by Sulejman Bargjini, a local ruler from Mullet, although the area has been continuously inhabited since antiquity. Tirana became Albania's capital city in 1920 and has a population of over...
and Pristina
Pristina
Pristina, also spelled Prishtina and Priština is the capital and largest city of Kosovo. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous municipality and district....
to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the congress. In Albania, Kosovo and Albanian-majority areas in Macedonia
in all schools the first teaching hour was dedicated to honour the Congress and give more information to the students about it.