Acroceraunian School
Encyclopedia
The Acroceraunian School is a Greek
elementary school in the town of Himara, southern Albania
. It was founded in 1779 by Cosmas the Aetolian and throughout its history has been associated with the Greek culture of the area. After World War II
it was forcibly closed by the communist regime of Albania, but it reopened in 2006 after almost 60 years.
and Palasa.
). When he visited Himara in 1779, legend says that he told the locals to destroy part of the nearby All Saints Church in order to built with this material the school.
under Enver Hoxha
declared that Greek language education would be allowed only in the officially recognized the "minority zones" which consisted of 99 villages. The Himara region was not included in this zone and as a result the use of Greek language was forbidden in school and other public places.
, a private Greek school was opened in Himara on May 5, 2006. The school operates as part of the Omiros ("Homer") network of educational institutions, in the same building it operated in the pre-1945 period, inside the Castle of Himara (locally called Kastro).
Although the region of Himara still is not part of the recognized Greek minority area, the curriculum follows the program of a minority school. The language of instruction is predominantly Greek, while Albanian is also taught. Moreover, the schools offers to non-pupils lessons in Greek language and culture.
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
elementary school in the town of Himara, southern Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
. It was founded in 1779 by Cosmas the Aetolian and throughout its history has been associated with the Greek culture of the area. After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
it was forcibly closed by the communist regime of Albania, but it reopened in 2006 after almost 60 years.
Background
The first school in Himara, a Greek language school, was founded in 1627 by the Catholic missionary Neophytos Rodinos. During the following years Greek schools opened in the nearby villages, DhërmiDhërmi
Dhërmi is one of the nine villages of the Himara region/municipality, in Albania. The village lies 42 kilometers south of the city of Vlorë and about the same distance north of the southern city of Sarandë. The village is built on a slope of the Ceraunian Mountains, at approximately 200 meters in...
and Palasa.
Foundation
The foundation of the school is associated with the travels of the Greek-Orthodox monk and missionary Cosmas the Aetolian. During his trips in the Ottoman-ruled Balkans, he founded some 200 Greek-language schools in what is now southern Albania (known in Greek as Northern EpirusNorthern Epirus
Northern Epirus is a term used to refer to those parts of the historical region of Epirus, in the western Balkans, that are part of the modern Albania. The term is used mostly by Greeks and is associated with the existence of a substantial ethnic Greek population in the region...
). When he visited Himara in 1779, legend says that he told the locals to destroy part of the nearby All Saints Church in order to built with this material the school.
Prohibition of Education
In 1945, the totalitarian leadership of the People's Socialist Republic of AlbaniaPeople's Socialist Republic of Albania
The People's Republic of Albania was the official name of Albania during the communist rule between 1946 and 1976. The 1976 Constitution changed the name into People's Socialist Republic of Albania , which was the official name of the country from 1976 until 1991.-Consolidation of power and...
under Enver Hoxha
Enver Hoxha
Enver Halil Hoxha was a Marxist–Leninist revolutionary andthe leader of Albania from the end of World War II until his death in 1985, as the First Secretary of the Party of Labour of Albania...
declared that Greek language education would be allowed only in the officially recognized the "minority zones" which consisted of 99 villages. The Himara region was not included in this zone and as a result the use of Greek language was forbidden in school and other public places.
Modern era
After many years of efforts, following a decision of the Council of the European UnionCouncil of the European Union
The Council of the European Union is the institution in the legislature of the European Union representing the executives of member states, the other legislative body being the European Parliament. The Council is composed of twenty-seven national ministers...
, a private Greek school was opened in Himara on May 5, 2006. The school operates as part of the Omiros ("Homer") network of educational institutions, in the same building it operated in the pre-1945 period, inside the Castle of Himara (locally called Kastro).
Although the region of Himara still is not part of the recognized Greek minority area, the curriculum follows the program of a minority school. The language of instruction is predominantly Greek, while Albanian is also taught. Moreover, the schools offers to non-pupils lessons in Greek language and culture.