Rector of the University of Tetova Prof. Dr. Jusuf Zejneli and the dean of the Faculty of Philology Prof. Dr. Berton Sulejmani participated in the Nationwide Scientific Conference on the topic: “Albanian language – perspectives and risks”. The conference was organized by the Language Implementation Agency in the Republic of North Macedonia in honor of February 21 – International Mother Language Day.
In this conference, which was attended by a considerable number of experts and researchers of linguistics and literature, the Rector of UT Prof. Dr. Jusuf Zejneli, in his speech, emphasized that the Albanian language is a testament to the endurance of our people, which despite all the various invasions and influences over the centuries, has remained steadfast, preserving its identity and unique character. According to him, in a region characterized by ethnic and linguistic diversity, the Albanian language serves as a unifying force, by bridging the divisions between different communities and regions within Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro and beyond. “We are very aware of the many challenges that minority languages, minor not in terms of importance or history, but because of the small number of their speakers, face in today’s globalized world. Furthermore, globalization has led to the homogenization of cultures and languages. The so-called minor languages face the risk of losing their unique identity and linguistic heritage. The preservation of these languages is not only about linguistic diversity; it is about preserving human diversity and ensuring that every culture and community has the right to express itself in its own language. Language is more than a means of communication; it is a fundamental aspect of identity, heritage and belonging.” – said the Rector of the UT, Prof. Dr. Jusuf Zejneli.
While the Dean of the Faculty of Philology of the UT, Prof. Dr. Berton Sulejmani, in his statement that he presented at this conference, said that the mother tongue has an extraordinary importance for the identity, culture and history of our people. “Our language, the Albanian language, is a great national asset, it has a great national value, with a very strong national identity, I would say that our national identity began with the Albanian language, for example: during the Renaissance National, so the great renaissance people took the greatest care of language to use it to strengthen national identity, to strengthen national unity, to increase national independence, to tell the world that we also have our own language, an ancient language , which the Albanians have preserved, protected and created important values. Even the Albanians of these regions have preserved the Albanian language, even learned it, and studied it. It is enough to mention here the role of writers, researchers, and lovers of our language, then the role of the newspaper “Flaka e vëllazërimit” whose first issue was published on April 4, 1945, in Skopje. The emergence of an organ like this, i.e. like this newspaper, in the linguistic environments of Skopje, Tetovo, Kumanovo, Gostivar, Kirçovo, Dibra, Struga, Ohrid, Manastir, in these Albanian territories of the Former Yugoslavia (now North Macedonia) had a great importance, among others, for the spread and embedding of the norm of the written literary language, and after 1972 the standard Albanian language; the same role was played by Radio Skopje, the journal “Jehona”, the colossal role of the two Departments of the Albanian language: the Department of Albanology in Skopje (1962, 54 years), that of the University of Tetova (1994).” – said, among other things, Prof. Dr. Berton Sulejmani.
At the Nationwide Scientific Conference “Albanian language – perspectives and risks”, presented their papers also, the Director of LIA, Ardian Musliu, , the Minister of Education and Science in our country, Mr. Jeton Shaqiri, Dean of the Faculty of History and Philology, University of Tirana, Prof. Dr. Sabri Laci, Head of the department of the Albanian language at the “St. Cyril and Methodius” University, Prof. Dr. Ismet Osmani, Head of the Department of Linguistics at the Faculty of History and Philology at the University of Tirana Prof. Dr. Shezai Rrokaj and many others.
