Parashqevi Qiriazi
Encyclopedia
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 women's association. Parashqevi was also a participant in the Paris Peace Conference, 1919
as a member of the Albanian-American
community. She was the sister of Sevasti Qiriazi, who was the director of the Mësonjëtorja, the first Albanian school to open in 1887.
(now Republic of Macedonia
). When she was only 11 she started to help her brother Gjerasim Qiriazi
and sister Sevasti Qiriazi to teach written Albanian to girls in the first school for girls in Albania, the Girls' School , which opened on October 15, 1891.
She later studied at Robert College
in Istanbul
. Upon graduation she went to Korçë
to work as an elementary teacher along with her sister, Sevasti at the Mësonjëtorja, the first Albanian school which had opened in 1887.
In 1908 she was a participant in the Congress of Monastir and the only woman to be there.
In 1909 she published an abecedarium
for elementary schools. Although the Congress of Monastir had decided about the new alphabet, two versions of the alphabet were still present in her abecedary, which shows how fragile the consensus of the Congress still was. However, along with the abecedarium, she published some very well known verses on the defense of the Albanian new alphabet:
She is also known for having organized teaching for children and night schools in other southern Albania villages and have also helped with the organization of local libraries.
She contributed to the foundation of the Yll' i Mëngjesit association in 1909 and later, when she had emigrated to the USA, she continued to publish the periodical with the same name from 1917 to 1920. The magazine was published every fortnight and consisted in Albania related articles which included politics, society, history, philology, literature, and folklore.
In 1914 she left Albania for Romania
along with her sister as a consequence of the Greek occupation of the city.
She later went to the United States and became a member of the Albanian-American
community, on behalf of which she participated in the Conference of Peace of Paris in 1919 to represent the rights of the Albanians.
Albanians
Albanians are a nation and ethnic group native to Albania and neighbouring countries. They speak the Albanian language. More than half of all Albanians live in Albania and Kosovo...
teacher who dedicated her life to 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:...
and to the instruction of written 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...
. 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 women's association. Parashqevi was also a participant in the Paris Peace Conference, 1919
Paris Peace Conference, 1919
The Paris Peace Conference was the meeting of the Allied victors following the end of World War I to set the peace terms for the defeated Central Powers following the armistices of 1918. It took place in Paris in 1919 and involved diplomats from more than 32 countries and nationalities...
as a member of the Albanian-American
Albanian-American
Albanian Americans are United States citizens of full or partial Albanian ancestry. Although according to data from a 2008 Survey of the United States Government, there are 201,118 Americans of full or partial Albanian descent.-Emigration History:...
community. She was the sister of Sevasti Qiriazi, who was the director of the Mësonjëtorja, the first Albanian school to open in 1887.
Biography
Parashqevi was born in Monastir, Ottoman EmpireOttoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
(now Republic of Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
). When she was only 11 she started to help her brother Gjerasim Qiriazi
Gjerasim Qiriazi
Gjerasim Qiriazi was an Albanian Protestant preacher and educator. He is the founder of the Protestant Church of Albania. He also founded the first Albanian school in modern times in 1887 in Korçë, Albania, then part of the Ottoman Empire....
and sister Sevasti Qiriazi to teach written Albanian to girls in the first school for girls in Albania, the Girls' School , which opened on October 15, 1891.
She later studied at Robert College
Robert College
Robert College of Istanbul , is one of the most selective independent private high schools in Turkey. Robert College is a co-educational, boarding school with a wooded campus on the European side of Istanbul between the two bridges on the Bosphorus, with the Arnavutköy district to the east, and...
in Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
. Upon graduation she went to Korçë
Korçë
Korçë is a city in southeastern Albania and the capital of the Korçë District. It has a population of around 105,000 people , making it the sixth largest city in Albania...
to work as an elementary teacher along with her sister, Sevasti at the Mësonjëtorja, the first Albanian school which had opened in 1887.
In 1908 she was a participant in the Congress of Monastir and the only woman to be there.
In 1909 she published an abecedarium
Abecedarium
An abecedarium is an inscription consisting of the letters of an alphabet, almost always listed in order. Typically, abecedaria are practice exercises....
for elementary schools. Although the Congress of Monastir had decided about the new alphabet, two versions of the alphabet were still present in her abecedary, which shows how fragile the consensus of the Congress still was. However, along with the abecedarium, she published some very well known verses on the defense of the Albanian new alphabet:
| Albanian 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... |
English English language English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria... |
|---|---|
Armiqëtë o shqipëtarë, Po perpiqenë Shkronjat turçe dhe greqishte, të na apënë; Le t'i mbajnë ata per vetëhe; Kemi tonatë. |
The enemies o Albanians, Are trying Turkish and Greek letters, To give us; Let them keep those letters; We have ours. |
She is also known for having organized teaching for children and night schools in other southern Albania villages and have also helped with the organization of local libraries.
She contributed to the foundation of the Yll' i Mëngjesit association in 1909 and later, when she had emigrated to the USA, she continued to publish the periodical with the same name from 1917 to 1920. The magazine was published every fortnight and consisted in Albania related articles which included politics, society, history, philology, literature, and folklore.
In 1914 she left Albania for Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
along with her sister as a consequence of the Greek occupation of the city.
She later went to the United States and became a member of the Albanian-American
Albanian-American
Albanian Americans are United States citizens of full or partial Albanian ancestry. Although according to data from a 2008 Survey of the United States Government, there are 201,118 Americans of full or partial Albanian descent.-Emigration History:...
community, on behalf of which she participated in the Conference of Peace of Paris in 1919 to represent the rights of the Albanians.