Albanian history is rich with those people who devoted their self for the people of their country and promoting their tradition to all the world. There are many famous people from Albania but I will add a few to my list who deserve a very special place in the history of Albania among their renowned ones.
Mother Teresa
On 26 August 1910, the world was gifted with a very kind and generous child named Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu in Skopje, which is the capital of North Macedonia now. Her parents were from Albania and that had a very special role in her identity. She was trained as a nun and then later named Mother Teresa.
She went to India and learned many new roles, among which were teaching school girls. Mother Teresa was kind and generous; she had a very soft corner for poor people. Taking care of them was her passion, and it was the reason she established Missionaries of Charity in 1950. This organisation is still working today to provide services to the poor, the world honoured her a lot.
On 5th September of each year, Mother Teresa Day is celebrated. Albanian Government supports her legacy. Mother Teresa International Prize is given by the Albanian Government to those who work a lot to improve human life and bring prosperity to the lives of those who are suffering. A statue of her was uncovered in Tirana, the capital of Albania in 2001 to dedicate the efforts she made for humanity.
George Kastriot SkanderbeG
The world needs people with high leadership qualities and brave hearts who can withstand any harsh time for their nation. There are many prominent personalities in the world who devoted themselves to their nation, and among those, we have George Kastriot Skanderbeg.
He was born on 6th March 1405, in the village Sinjë, which is near the town Krujë in present-day Albania. He was sent to serve Ottoman at the age of 12, and there, he was trained as a soldier where he learned military tactics and strategy.
Skanderbeg served as a military commander and gained even more experience, which he later used to rebel against the Ottoman Empire. Albania was one of those territories on which the Ottoman Empire governed at that time. He could not see his people in slavery.
Skanderbeg was against foreign domination and oppression. He used his leadership skills to gather his people and unite against the Ottoman Empire. He allied with other European powers. Battle of Torvioll (1444) was a great victory for him against the Ottoman, and the way he defended the fortress of Krujë against Ottoman sieges showed his great Resistance tactics.
Though he could not completely free Albania from the Ottoman Empire, due to his resistance and effort, the Ottomans could not expand their empire in Albania for over two decades.
But his work increased the spirit of his nation against oppression. Albanians honoured him a lot by declaring him a national hero. Moreover, on June 17 of every year, his death anniversary is celebrated as Skanderbeg Day. In 1968, a statue of him was presented to honour his courage and dedication to his people in Tirana.
Ismail Kadare
There are many prominent personalities in the world who are famous for their work in promoting the culture and history of their nation and country through the power of literature. It is said that the pen is mightier than the sword and Ismail Kadare proved it by preserving the Albanian history, culture, folklore, and political landscape.
Ismail Kadade was born on 28 January 1936 in Gjirokastër. He studied at the University of Tirana and later went to Paris for further studies. He mainly focused on literature and worked as a writer.
He also worked as an editor and served for the newspapers of Albania and he wrote many novels and books which contributed a lot in introducing Albanian cultures and addressing their problems to the world.
One of his most famous novels, “The General of the Dead Army” written in 1963 reflects the struggle of Albanians in wars. Another famous novel “Broken April” written in 1978 presents the social challenges and traditions of Albanian people. Covering such topics, he helped Albanians to get a better understanding of themselves, and a deeper understanding of their history, culture and related social problems.
Due to his global literary impact and work in literature, he was awarded the Neustadt International Prize for Literature in 2005. This award is a great honour for writers who made significant contributions to world literature. The Albanian Government also honoured his work by awarding him the title of “People’s Writer” due to his efforts in Albanian literature.
IbRAHIM KODRA
The art of representing ideas in pictures is great, and when we talk about artists like these, then we cannot miss Ibrahim Kodra, one of the world-famous Albanian artists. He was born on February 2, 1918 in Shkodra, Albania. He polished his artistic skills at the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence, Italy.
He was a painter who was famous for presenting Albanian culture in his art. He showed Albanian art and culture worldwide through his paintings because his work was the pride of art galleries throughout Europe.
One of his most famous works is “The Dance of Life,” which represents Albanian history with its colours and depth. He became the idol of future generations of artists worldwide. The Albanian Government honoured his work for Albanian tradition and history by awarding him the title of “People’s Artist.”
Inva MUla
Inva Mula is a famous and great Albanian opera and classical musician. She was born on 27 March 1972 in Tirana Albania. Her educational path started at the University of Arts in Tirana, and she later went to Italy for further studies, where she polished her vocal skills. She promoted the music industry and culture of Albania through her performance on an international level.
Inva Mula made a great image of Albanian artists in the world. She promoted the new generation of artists to pursue their dreams.
Among her notable works is her role as Gilda in Giuseppe Verdi’s opera “Rigoletto”. She performed great in this role and showed her vocal talent. Another famous role of her is Queen of the Night in “The Magic Flute” where she showed her competitive vocal skills in challenging demands.
She also supported Albanian music and art by raising funds for music and other programs. Also performed charity concerts, which played a great role in supporting many educational and healthcare-related institutes in Albania.
Conclusion
Though there are many more famous people from Albania, these were those who I think deserved to be on this list. All of them had a common vision, which was to devote their lives to the shining future of their nation.
They have set up standards in the world with their distinct work and encouraged the future generations of their country to work selflessly for their people.
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