In anticipation of November 22, when 104 years are marked since the adoption of the Albanian Alphabet, the President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, visited the Department of Albanian Language and Literature, Faculty of Philology “Blaze Koneski”, the oldest high education institution in Macedonia giving lectures in Albanian language.

The Head of State congratulated the holiday to the students and teachers who informed him on their work and the problems they face. They thanked him for being the first official who visited the Department in its decades-long existence.

“Language is a means of communication, and it is very important. You need to learn to communicate in order not to become isolated. This Department teaches and nurtures the Albanian language and tradition, and the translation branch brings together two cultures that existed together for centuries”, President Ivanov said at the meeting with the Dean, professors and students.

The students read poetry by Fatos Arapi and Blaze Koneski translated into Macedonian or Albanian respectively. They were informed by the President on the possibilities offered to them and on several initiatives under his auspices, such as the School for Young Leaders, the title “The Best Youngest Scientist”, the “Boris Trajkovski” scholarship for MBA in public administration at City College in Thessaloniki.

The professors complained to the President that there is no renewal of the staff and that the translation branch has only one lecturer, so they engage external associates. President Ivanov pointed out that there is a desire to hire new professors, but the reasons for not being able to do so are in the general economic situation.

Professor Valbona Tosca, Head of Department of Albanian Language, said that the Department is a rare example of integrated education, because at the translation and interpretation branch there are students to whom Albanian is not their native language, and many of them after graduation speak it fluently.

The Department of Albanian Language and Literature was established in 1971/ 1972.

The Day of the Albanian Alphabet, being the occasion of the visit of President Ivanov, marks the anniversary of Bitola Congress which the Albanian intellectuals from all over the world held from 15 October to 22 November 1908. Fifty Congress delegates from several cities created a unified contemporary alphabet for all Albanians. A decision was adopted to use the Latin letters, adapted to the needs of the Albanian language.