At the University “Luigj Gurakuqi” in Shkodër, on December 11, 2023, was held a Scientific Conference, with the ttopic “Cultural Meeting Points in the Balkan Area”. In this event, which was attended by well-known researchers from the Western Balkans, the University of Tetova was represented by the Dean of the Faculty of Philology, Prof. Dr. Berton Sulejmani.
In this event, there was talked about culture as mediation and development bridge in the Western Balkans, about ethnolinguistics and the scientific debate about it, about the unknown history of the famous street “Skadarlija” in Belgrade, for the possibilities to integrate the local to the broad discourse of regional integration, etc.
Rector of the University of Shkodra, Prof. Dr. Rajmonda Keçira, at the opening of this activity welcomed the attendees and congratulated the organizers of this conference: the University of Shkodra “Luigj Gurakuqi”, namely the Faculty of Social Sciences, the Department of Linguistics, the Department of Literature, the Faculty of Philology of the University of Belgrade and the Faculty of Philology of the University of Tetova.
Meanwhile, the dean of the Faculty of Philology of the University of Tetova emphasized that such gatherings in the front of tracking Albanian intra-cultural cooperation are of primary importance, because they unite the forces and achievements of scientific results in the field of philology.
“It is a joint merit and obligation, first of all, not only of the three main Albanian centers, but also of other cities, that somewhere we build and somewhere we strengthen bridges, not only on the front of sciences, in this philological middle, but I remember that these initiatives should serve us to discuss the exchange opportunities of our professors and students. Why not get to know each other better? While our students go to various European and world centers, why does this not happen within Albanian universities? We cannot but wish the best for our students to stay at least one semester of their studies in Tetovo, Skopje, Prishtina, Tirana, Prizren, Shkodër, Gjakova, Korçë, Elbasan and Durrës and vice versa. Yes, at this time, why can’t recognize the achievements and problems of our colleagues and the demands of the first department of the Albanian language, that of Belgrade, for whose activity today we have the honor to have among us the head of this chair, Prof. Dr. Naile Mala-Imami”- declared in his speech in front of the audience, Prof. Dr. Berton Sulejmani and shared the conviction that the scientific contribution of the aforementioned gathering will be multidimensional and will present a new incentive for the affirmation and elevation of scientific thought as well as the direct recognition, not only of the Albanian culture, but also of the cultures of other peoples of the region, Europe and the world.
Other participants also expressed their views regarding the central topic of the conference, by emphasizing the need for information exchange and cooperation, based on the study of history, language, education, culture, but also current developments in the Balkan region and beyond.
