PRESS RELEASES

Press Release No. 1 - November 10,  1999

The Martin and Mirash Ivanaj Foundation is pleased to announce the publication of a booklet entitled:

"An Albanian Revival"

It will be off the press by Albanian Flag Day on November 28th, and  will be made available at future Albanian functions and meetings in the New York City area.

A minimum contribution of $10.00 is requested for each copy of the book.   Orders for this publication can be placed at any time directly with our Foundation.  Please indicate your name and address, as well as the number copies you wish to receive, and mail  with your check to:

The Martin and Mirash Ivanaj Foundation
Cherokee Station - PO Box 20661
New York, NY 10021-0073

There are no sales taxes, and the order will be shipped free, up to 20 copies.  A receipt for your tax-deductible contribution will be included in the book(s) shipment.

With an introduction in English and Albanian, this publication is a reprint, both in its original Italian version and a modern Albanian translation, of a speech delivered by Nikolla Ivanaj in Rome, Italy, over 88 years ago.

                                                                              SYNOPSIS

Nikolla Ivanaj's speech to the Italian Press Association on January 26, 1911 is an historical document of vital importance today.  The speech was written at the time of the uprisings in Northern Albania and the intensive diplomatic activity that led to the Proclamation of Independence of Albania in Vlora one year later. In the author's opinion, next to the Skenderbej' s glorious period and Ali Pashe Tepelena's political leadership, the year 1911 was critical to the fate of Albania and Albanians.  Nikolla Ivanaj reflects objectively on the political reality of the time while outlining the contours of the national conscience. His analysis of the situation includes consideration of Albania's borders, the opting for autonomy rather than full independence from the Ottoman Empire, the primacy of the national calling over religious feelings and the continued efforts of the Albanian exiles for a national awakening.  Written with vision and sharpness, the speech is an appeal for support and a cry for help to Italy at this critical juncture. To the historian, student or everyday reader, this speech will echo the resistance of the Albanians in Kosova, Montenegro and Albania, drawing from a blueprint for a national program.  As the new century begins, some of the questions Nikolla Ivanaj raised continue to resonate: "Will they (Albanians) find any friends among the free nations of the world and will they have the backing of the press and the public opinion? Is there a belief that Albania is deserving and capable of a better life and truly free one?   Hopefully, but even so Albanians have understood that only through continuous sacrifices, without expecting anything from any government nor diplomacy, they will achieve what they truly deserve." This speech will help contemporary Albanians, or any reader interested in the socio-political history of the region, to think seriously about the state of Albania as Ivanaj saw it at the beginning of the last century and how it relates to developments in contemporary Albania.

                                                                          PĖRMBLEDHJE

Referati i mbajtur nga Nikollė Ivanaj pėrpara Shoqatės sė Shtypit Italian mė 26 janar 1911 ėshtė njė dokument historic i rėndėsie tė veēantė pėr ditėt tona.  Jemi nė pragun e kryengritjeve tė mėdha tė Veriut dhe tė aktivitetit tė dendur diplomatik, tė cilat do tė shpinin nė Shpalljen e Pavarėsisė nė Vlorė njė vit mė vonė.  Sipas autorit, pas periudhės sė lavdishme tė Skėnderbeut dhe prirjes politike tė Ali Pashė Tepelenės, viti 1911 ėshtė tepėr kritik pėr fatin e Shqipėrisė dhe  shqiptarėve. Nikollė Ivanaj shtjellon me vėrtetėsi dhe sinqeritet realitetin politik shqiptar tė kohės duke ravijėzuar bukur konturet e ndėrgjegjes kombėtare.  Interesante janė referencat ndaj kufijve tė Shqipėrisė, parapėlqimit pėr autonomi pėrkundėr mėvetėsisė sė plotė nga Perandoria Otomane, zotėrimi i ndenjave atdhetare mbi ato fetare si dhe puna e parreshtur e  mėrgatės shqiptare pėr zgjimin kombėtar. I konceptuar me largpamėsi dhe mprehtėsi, fjalimi ėshtė njė kėrkėsė pėr mbėshtetje dhe thirrje pėr ndihmė drejtuar fqinjit perėndimor Italisė nė njė moment tė vėshtirė kritik.  Pėr historianin, studentin apo lexuesin e thjeshtė, kjo broshurė sjell jehonėn e qėndresės sė shqiptarėve nė Kosovė, Mal tė Zi dhe Shqipėri duke paraqitur njėherėsh platformėn e njė programi kombėtar. Ndėrsa nis njė shekul i ri,  pyetjet e atdhetarit Nikollė Ivanaj tingėllojnė aktuale: "Ndoshta a do tė gjejnė miq midis kombeve tė lira dhe a do tė kenė nė krah tė tyre shtypin dhe opinionin publik? A ėshtė tashmė bindja se edhe Shqipėria ėshtė e denjė dhe e aftė qė tė ketė njė jetė mė tė mirė dhe me tė vėrtetė tė lirė? Shpresojmė, por megjithatė shqiptarėt kanė kuptuar, se vetėm me flijimet e veta tė vazhdueshme, pa pritur gjė nga asnjė qeveri dhe nga diplomacia, do tė mund tė fitojnė veē atė qė i pėrket vetėm atyre."  Kjo ligjėratė i ndihmon shqiptarėt e sotėm por edhe lexuesin e interesuar nė historinė socio-politike tė rajonit qė tė mendojnė seriozisht pėr vendin ashtu si e ka paraqitur Ivanaj deri nė kohėn tonė dhe mesazhin e fuqishėm qė sjell nė shekullin e ri.

Press Release No. 2 - May 1st, 2000

The Martin and Mirash Ivanaj Foundation is sponsoring a Round Table Discussion entitled:

                        "ALBANIA and the BALKANS:  Post crises impressions in the new millennium"

                                                                       Wednesday, May 17th , 2000

    at
           Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimo` at New York University
    24 West 12th Street
      (between 5th and 6th Avenues)
   New York, NY 10012

 At the end of the 20th century, the catastrophic crises that have shaken and ripped Albania and the Balkans were extensively covered by international media for several months. The issues that, in the aftermath, face the region are many, of a complex nature, and just as devastating, but no longer command the media attention with the same intensity. It behooves us, therefore, at the beginning of this new millennium, to refocus the attention on some of these issues, and to maintain and raise the level of awareness that can provide better understanding of the problems, and, ultimately, accelerate solutions in the relief processes that our global society is involved in.

PROGRAM


6:00pm           Welcome
                       Stefano ALBERTINI

6:05pm           Opening Remarks
                       Drita A. IVANAJ

6:15pm           Moderator :

                       Fabrizio DEL NOCE       - New York Correspondent
                                                                   RAI  (Italian Television)

                       Speakers (listed in alphabetical order):

                       Dr. David AVDUL         - Director  - Center of  Economic Education
                                                                  Pace University

                       Edward  LAZE               -  Economist - Accountant
                                                                  MSPA Candidate

                       Hys SHKRELI              -  Journalist
                                                                 Correspondent of “Zeri”

                       Martin VULAJ, Esq.     -  Attorney at Law
                                                                  Board Member N.A.A.C. (National Albanian American Council)

7:10pm           Round Table Discussion

8:15pm           Reception and Sale of Book “An Albanian Revival”
                                                                   (see Press Release No.1 above)
 

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