Nicholas C. Pano/
I was sorry to learn of the passing of Dr. Sami Repishti. It was my privilege to have known Sami as a friend and colleague for some five decades. During this time, Sami had emerged as the foremost public intellectual in the Albanian-American community and among the most distinguished in what may be termed the Albanian world.
The outpouring of expressions of sympathy, respect and admiration both from within the United States and abroad generated by the news of Sami’s death attest to the esteem in which he is held by those whose lives he has touched as well as those who have admired and appreciated his tireless efforts in behalf of democratization in Albania, the independence of Kosova, the protection of the civil and human rights of Albanian minorities in the post Yugoslav states and elsewhere and the promotion of a cordial U. S.-Albanian relationship.
As a public intellectual, Sami was not only a respected scholar but also a publicist, advocate and activist in promoting the causes he championed. In this respect, he was also the archetype of a servant leader. He did it all: he wrote, lectured, mentored, advocated, lobbied and organized. And Sami was able to do all this while maintaining the highest standards of professional and personal integrity.
Sami’s passing leaves a void in the Albanian-American community that will not be easily filled. May he rest in peace, and may his legacy serve as an inspiration for our Albanian-American community and for our compatriots throughout the world.
My heartfelt condolences to Sami’s family and his many friends.