Frashër, Përmet
The President of the Republic, His Exellency Ilir Meta paid today a working visit to Frashër of Përmet, to evaluate and honor with the “National Flag Decoration”, the highest in the Republic of Albania, the three great patriots of the Albanian nation, brothers Abdyl, Naim and Sami Frashëri, for the irreplaceable contribution to the awakening of national consciousness and the cultural and literary rebirth, in the service of the protection of the Albanian territories and the fight for the Independence of Albania.
Accompanied by the Mayor of Përmet, Mrs. Alma Hoxha, local authorities, representatives from all Albanian territories and political forces in our country, scholars, historians, intellectuals and many residents, President Meta initially placed wreaths on the busts of the three Frashëri brothers and bowed with reverence and deep respect in their work.
Afterwards, the Head of State visited the museum house of the Frashëri brothers, an important cultural heritage monument, which houses a series of documents that reflect the history of the area and the bright activity of three prominent renaissances.
President Meta also visited the Frashëri Tekke, a stronghold of Albanian nationalism, with great influence on the Frashëri brothers, where he was received by Father Hekuran Nikollari.
In the solemn ceremony organized on this occasion in front of the busts of the three Frashëri brothers, the Head of State awarded Abdyl Frashëri (posthumously) the “National Flag Decoration”, with the motivation: “As one of the most prominent supporters in the fight to save the lands of Albanian people, the unification of the people and the national liberation of the Albanians. As a prominent ideologue of the National Renaissance, one of the main organizers and representative of the Albanian League of Prizren, a visionary statesman, politician, diplomat and personality with extraordinary merits, who spared the freedom and exaltation of the Albanian nation.
While Naim Frashëri (after his death), the Head of State awarded the same decoration, with the motivation: “For the irreplaceable contribution to the awakening of national consciousness and cultural and literary rebirth, in the service of the fight for the Independence of Albania. As the prominent national poet, thinker and patriot of the National Renaissance. The talented missionary, teacher and creator, who sang with dedication and echoed the patriotism, history, language, culture, identity and freedom of Albanians. The great inspirer of the pride, dignity and national consciousness of the Albanians, as well as the inexhaustible oracle of their freedom “.
“The Decoration of the National Flag”, President Meta awarded Sami Frashëri (after his death) with the motivation: “As the ideologue of the National Renaissance. Patriot, great encyclopedic scholar, linguist, writer, publicist, outstanding translator, promoter of the values of knowledge, education, emancipation and civic courage of compatriots.
As the giant of philosophical thought, which offered the Albanians the program and model of their western state. In the most difficult years of the nation, he offered the western vision, as well as the strategy for the Independence, state formation and long-term progress of Albania “.
In his welcoming speech, the Head of State said:
It is a special happiness to be with you today in Frashër, in this holy place for the Albanian nation, in the cradle that shook with knowledge and patriotism, the great Frashëri brothers, Abdyl, Naim and Sami, in their birthplace that shines patriotic national light and civic at all times.
We have come today to bow again before them, the most perfect symbols of our National Renaissance.
Rarely in history you can meet in a nation, three brothers, who have served the same ideal – the cause of the national liberation of their Homeland, not only from centuries of foreign yoke, but also from social backwardness, ideological dogmatism and the chains that prevented him from walking towards European progress and civilization.
We bow today to Abdyl Frashëri – ideologue and political activist, Naim Frashëri – lyrical and epic poet, Sami Frashëri – philosopher, cultural ideologist and visionary of the future.
Their activity, writings and views gathered together, reveal and complement almost the entire true history of the Albanian National Renaissance, its breadth and depth revolutionary, patriotic, democratic and Enlightenment.
Each of them knew how to merge in their field of work and battle and the three together on a common front, the three basic tasks before the country: saving the Homeland from territorial fragmentation, unification of Albanian territories and the delivery of patriotic culture in the service of the war of national liberation.
Dear friends,
Abdyl Frashëri entered the stage of history exactly when the Homeland needed more than ever for bright patriotic and courageous minds.
The intellectual maturity, bravery and determination with which he was endowed, put him in 1877 at the head of the National Committee of Ioannina, which took over the protection of the rights of the Albanian nationality.
Abdyl’s name is politically and organizationally related, especially to the Albanian League of Prizren as rarely any other name.
As an ideologue, he contributed to the elaboration of the political platform, which led the League in the fight against the chauvinist policy of its neighbors, against the disregard of the Great Powers for the Albanian cause and against the reactionary attitude of the Ottoman Empire.
As an organizer, he was distinguished in the great work carried out by the League of Prizren, for the unification of the entire Albanian people in the only national front.
As an activist, Abdyli fell across Albania, more than anyone else, from Preveza to Mitrovica, from Durrës to Bitola.
As a diplomat, he worthily represented the Albanian movement in the international arena, defended with dignity the interests of the Homeland before the great chancelleries, courageously submitted to the sultan’s court the request for Albanian autonomy and clearly elaborated before the world opinion the optimal solution to the eastern crisis. the mess where they had intertwined the Albanian issue, the Treaty of St. Stephen and the Treaty of Berlin.
Dear friends and guests,
Naim Frashëri, the middle brother of the Three lights of the Renaissance, chose the Pen as a weapon to extend his entire patriotic struggle, while Literature and School – became his daily battlefield.
The founding verses he published in 1884 became for decades a patriotic food for thousands and thousands of minors and adults – verses written in the Albanian language, which identifies and unites the Albanian nation.
From Naim’s pen came out in 1886 “Livestock and Agriculture”, the first Albanian literary poem that evoked in its compatriots the truth of their national linguistic origin and national pride.
He gave Albanian textbooks to the first national school in 1887. Naim published in Albanian the first text on the history of Albania and the first epic dedicated to our National Hero Skanderbeg.
He praised the Homeland and freedom, language and school, knowledge and progress. He had as his motto the words woven into verses:
“That the light of knowledge – will lead us forward – to freedom.”
For his fiery patriotic poems and with his sweet language he was called “the whistle of the Albanian language” and was known as the “national poet” of the Albanian Renaissance.
Dear participants,
In the struggle against centuries-old Ottoman oppression and traditional Ottoman obscurantism, Sami Frashëri chose and used with mastery skills, in the first place – the sharp power of Knowledge, without detaching it from the ground of politics – thus remaining an alloy of the national work of both to his older brothers.
Although he gave the Turkish cultural world from 40 scientific, social and literary works, the true historical portrait of Sami is stamped in the first place by his writings in the service of the Albanian national movement and education.
Above all, in 1899 he published his masterpiece – the political treatise published entitled “Albania what has been, what is and what will be done” which is rightly considered as the most revolutionary programmatic manifesto of the Albanian National Renaissance and determinants of the country’s European orientation.
Unfortunately, none of them managed to take part in the great day of the proclamation of the Independence of Albania.
But, as Abdyl Frashëri said with his own mouth, that with their activity they resemble the work of a farmer, who in the fall sows the seed and enjoys the fruits later in the spring.
There is no doubt that Independence, which was declared on November 28, 1912 in Vlora, is the fruit of the work of the constellation of Albanian renaissance, three of the most prominent have undoubtedly been Abdyli, Naimi and Sami Frashëri.
There is no more convincing evidence than the actuality of the work of Abdyl, Naim and Sami Frashëri on the path that Albanians have to take towards European integration.
Glory to Abdyl, Naim and Sami Frashëri for life!
Long live Frashëri who was born and raised with knowledge and patriotism and the people of Përmet.
Long live Albania!
