Pandeli Sotiri
Encyclopedia
Pandeli Sotiri was an Albanian
activist that acted as director of the first Albanian school of modern times in Korçë
. Sotiri was one of the most important Rilindas figures that contributed in the propagation of the Albanian language
. He also worked on one of the versions of the Albanian alphabet
. The Congress of Monastir based Albanian's alphabet mostly on Sotiri's precedent work.
, Lunxhëri
, Gjirokastër District
Albania
(then Ottoman Empire
). Along with Petro Nini Luarasi
he was an alumnus at the Greek teacher seminary in Qestorati, Gjirokastër
, where Koto Hoxhi
secretly taught in Albanian and inculcated Albanian nationalistic ideals to his students.
Sotiri was part of the Central Committee for Defending Albanian Rights
created in Istambul in 1877.
In 1884 he took over the publishing of the first magazine entirely written in Albanian, the magazine Drita
, which had first been published by Petro Poga
. However Sotiri had to issue a new permit and to change the name of the magazine into Dituria (meaning "knowledge" in English).
In early 1887 Sotiri was issued the permit to open the first Albanian school of modern times in Korçë
. On March 7, 1887 the school opened in the building offered by the Terpo brothers, an Albanian patriotic family.
He had married a Greek woman, the niece of an Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Church
and had to leave the city for Greece that same year. As a result the Mësonjëtorja was left in the hands of Thanas Sina who was assistant director.
Sotiri died in 1892 allegedly killed by Greek Orthodox fanatics who threw him from the third floor of his apartment in Thessaloniki
, Greece
.
Albanians
Albanians are a nation and ethnic group native to Albania and neighbouring countries. They speak the Albanian language. More than half of all Albanians live in Albania and Kosovo...
activist that acted as director of the first Albanian school of modern times in Korçë
Korçë
Korçë is a city in southeastern Albania and the capital of the Korçë District. It has a population of around 105,000 people , making it the sixth largest city in Albania...
. Sotiri was one of the most important Rilindas figures that contributed in the propagation of the Albanian language
Albanian language
Albanian is an Indo-European language spoken by approximately 7.6 million people, primarily in Albania and Kosovo but also in other areas of the Balkans in which there is an Albanian population, including western Macedonia, southern Montenegro, southern Serbia and northwestern Greece...
. He also worked on one of the versions of the Albanian alphabet
Albanian alphabet
The modern Albanian alphabet is based on the Latin alphabet, and consists of 36 letters:Note: The vowels are shown in bold. to the pronunciation of the letters.-History:...
. The Congress of Monastir based Albanian's alphabet mostly on Sotiri's precedent work.
Biography
Sotiri was born in 1843 in SelckëSelckë
Selckë is a small town of Pogon municipality in the district of Gjirokastër, southern Albania....
, Lunxhëri
Lunxhëri
Lunxhëri is a municipality in the district of Gjirokastër, Gjirokastër County, Albania. The municipality consists of the villages Qestorat, Dhoksat, Këllëz, Mingul, Nokovë, Erind, Gjat, Kakoz, Karjan and Valare....
, Gjirokastër District
Gjirokastër District
The District of Gjirokastër is one of the thirty-six districts of Albania. It has a population of 56,720 containing a large Greek minority, and an area of 1,137 km². It is in the south of the country, and its capital is Gjirokastër...
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...
(then Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
). Along with Petro Nini Luarasi
Petro Nini Luarasi
Petro Nini Luarasi was an Albanian rilindas activist, Christian orthodox priest, teacher and journalist...
he was an alumnus at the Greek teacher seminary in Qestorati, Gjirokastër
Gjirokastër
Gjirokastër is a city in southern Albania with a population of 43,000. Lying in the historical region of Epirus, it is the capital of both the Gjirokastër District and the larger Gjirokastër County...
, where Koto Hoxhi
Koto Hoxhi
Koto Hoxhi was an advocate of the Albanian language. He taught this language secretly to his students in Qestorat in Southern Albania. He was imprisoned and died in prison for his beliefs.-Biography:...
secretly taught in Albanian and inculcated Albanian nationalistic ideals to his students.
Sotiri was part of the Central Committee for Defending Albanian Rights
Central Committee for Defending Albanian Rights
The Central Committee for Defending Albanian Rights was formed in the city of Istanbul, Turkey, then Ottoman Empire in 1877 by an influential group of Albanian intellectuals, patriots, and politicians, such as Sami Frashëri, Pashko Vasa, Abdyl Frashëri, Jani Vreto, Ymer Prizreni, Zija Prishtina,...
created in Istambul in 1877.
In 1884 he took over the publishing of the first magazine entirely written in Albanian, the magazine Drita
Drita (magazine)
Drita magazine is an Albanian literary magazine published by the Association of the Young Modern Artists of Albania . Drita was one of the first magazines in the Albanian language. It has been published for 127 years with some interruptions.-History: 1883-1922:Drita was one of the first magazines...
, which had first been published by Petro Poga
Petro Poga
Petro Poga was one of the signatories of Albanian Declaration of Independence in 1912 and one of the most important Albanian Rilindas.He was born in Erind, Gjirokastër, Albania . He went to the Zosimea Greek language School of Ioannina, Greece and then graduated in Jurisprudence from the Istanbul...
. However Sotiri had to issue a new permit and to change the name of the magazine into Dituria (meaning "knowledge" in English).
In early 1887 Sotiri was issued the permit to open the first Albanian school of modern times in Korçë
Korçë
Korçë is a city in southeastern Albania and the capital of the Korçë District. It has a population of around 105,000 people , making it the sixth largest city in Albania...
. On March 7, 1887 the school opened in the building offered by the Terpo brothers, an Albanian patriotic family.
He had married a Greek woman, the niece of an Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Church
Greek Orthodox Church
The Greek Orthodox Church is the body of several churches within the larger communion of Eastern Orthodox Christianity sharing a common cultural tradition whose liturgy is also traditionally conducted in Koine Greek, the original language of the New Testament...
and had to leave the city for Greece that same year. As a result the Mësonjëtorja was left in the hands of Thanas Sina who was assistant director.
Sotiri died in 1892 allegedly killed by Greek Orthodox fanatics who threw him from the third floor of his apartment in Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
.