Rafaela Prifti/

“A Solder, a King, and a Christian…who sought not for power but for liberty,” lexon koleksionistja britanike Patricia Nugee nga botimi i Edinburgh i vitit 1753 që e ka sjellë në Kishën Ortodokse Shqiptare të Shën Gjergjit në Boston. (The Life of George Castriot, King of Epirus and Albania commonly called Scanderbeg, ESTC records 3 copies).Për herë të parë në Shtetet e Bashkuara paraqitet ekspozita e librave antikuare për Skënderbeun mbledhur për rreth katër dekada nga Patricia Nugee. Organizatorët e ekspozitës janë Maas Besa, Kisha Ortodokse Shqiptare e Shën Gjergjit dhe Qendra Kulturore e Biblioteka Fan Noli. Organizatorët thanë se Kisha e Shën Gjergjit në Boston është vendi i natyrshëm për paraqitjen e koleksionit për shkak të historisë së tempullit të shqiptarëve. “Fan Noli e pagëzoi kishën me këtë emër si nderim për heroin kombëtar,” tha Robert Tochka. Ekspozita përmban 37 tituj që i përkasin jo vetëm historisë por edhe letërsisë. Koleksioni fillon nga vitet 1500 dhe shkon deri në 1800, të shkruara në 12 gjuhë.Patricia Nugee e ka filluar koleksionin që nga koha kur punonte në librarinë e librave antike në Londër dhe dëgjoi për herë të parë emrin e Skënderbeut. Ajo i ka mbledhur botimet e rralla një nga një duke qëmtuar në katalogje dhe ankande të ndryshme. Patricia e quan veten koleksioniste dhe jo historiane por falë pasionit të saj për kete figurë historike shqiptarët kanë një thesar të vyer për historinë dhe ardhmërinë e tyre. Gjatë prezantimit përpara hapjes së ekspozitës, Mark Kosmo, një nga organizatorët kryesorë, e pyeti se çdo të bëhet në të ardhmen me koleksionin. Patricia tha se do t’i dhurohet Muzeut të Skënderbeut në Krujë. Ndërkohë ajo shpreson të ketë mundësinë t’a sjellë edhe në shtete të tjera me shumicë shqiptare si Nju Jork, Florida, Miçigan etj.Ekspozita do të jetë e hapur sot dhe nesër për vizitorët nga ora 1 deri në 4 në auditorin e kishës ortodokse shqiptare të Shën Gjergjit. Koha e ardhjes së ekspozitës përkon me përvjetorin e 58 të vdekjes së ikonës sonë kombëtare Fan Nolit. Patricia Nugee’s Love for Albania began with Scanderbeg Maas Besa and St. George’s Church in collaboration with Fan Noli Cultural Center and Library presented Scanderbeg Exhibit Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 4 at the auditorium of St. George’s Albanian Orthodox Cathedral. The presentation by Neka Doko, Curator of Fan Noli Library revealed titles and artwork on Skenderbeg collected by the Very Rev Father Liolin. Professor Gazmend Kapllani of DePaul University Chicago touched on the significance and impact of the Albanian national hero. Patricia Nugee the remarkable book collector from Great Britain read a few lines from one of the rare editions on Scanderbeg. Organizers Maas Besa, the Albanian Orthodox Church Saint George and Cultural Center and Library Fan Noli say that it’s fitting to have it here for the first time given the history of the place. “St. George is the natural place for the first Scanderbeg exhibit in the US due to Noli’s choosing St. George as the patron Saint of the first Albanian church in honor of George Kastrioti and having written a biography of him,” says Judge Robert Tochka. The organizers wish as well as Patricia’s is to bring the antique collection of books to New York, Michigan, Florida and other states with a sizeable Albanian community.Patricia Nugee says she is a book collector. To Albanians, she is more than that. In addition to the exhibit, visitors can enjoy the Scanderbeg movie , an Albanian Russian production playing via a projector at the Church’s auditorium. Exhibit will be open for visitors from 1 to 4 on Saturday and Sunday.

By Rafaela Prifti/

The Biberaj Foundation, which started in 2017 is now in its 6th year of pursuing its mission https://gazetadielli.com/education-is-a-force-multiplier…/ Recently the Foundation was honored by the American Councils of International Education. In a climate of massive departures of Albania’s students to pursue education opportunities abroad, the full return of graduate Fellows of the Biberaj Foundation deserves more attention and even replicating for the benefit of the country. I asked spokesperson Ken Biberaj for a brief description of the program’s impact on the Albanian society. “We believe that the success of our investment in education is demonstrated by the multiplier effect where graduates return to the workforce and add improvement in the quality of life around them,” said he.Having graduates return home is an important distinction, particularly at a time when according to data published by UNESCO in 2020, 94% of students who study abroad do not want to go back to Albania. The results of surveys conducted in recent years show that the youth exodus of Albania is the highest in Europe. Last year, the Head of Economics and Social Studies, Ilir Gedeshi said that “region-wide, Albania ranks first when it comes to students leaving the country.” (Euronews Albania Interview, April 18, 2022.) Such numbers are expected to have gone up since last year’s polls.The phenomenon explains the high volume of applicants for scholarships and education opportunities abroad. Linda Meniku of the American Council confirmed that there is a lot of interest in applying at the Biberaj Foundation, that offers a variety of programs designed to deliver an impactful experience. Ergisa Bejkollari, GPED, a 2022 graduate fellow, who went to Owen Business School and did one semester in Puerto Rico, as part of her training, says that she “allowed herself to be radically transformed in the process.” “These meetings guided me through a new way of thinking because Puerto Rico and Albania might seem like two completely different countries, but, the challenges they face, especially economically and politically, are the same. So, for me, knowing that these people made it amid the not most favorable environment, is motivating and rewarding,” writes Bejkollari in her testimonial. Kristiana Dhima who pursued a degree in Cybersecurity from the prestigious NYU Tandon School of Engineering through the Biberaj Foundation calls her experience “a great privilege and responsibility for me, both personally and professionally.”In terms of changes or additions to the areas of concentration from last years’, Ken Biberaj says that Public Health and Culture were added since the inception of the Masters and Internship program as it continues to evolve. He then lists the current areas of concentration as follows: “Agriculture, Business Administration and Management, Culture, Eco-Tourism & Hospitality, Economics, Education, Information Technology and Computer Science, Law (LLM), Public Administration, Public Health, Public Policy.”The Biberaj Foundation model was conceptualized to be working alongside professionals and other institutions of education. Given the high demand by students in Albania, it is important for applicants to get information from the adequate source, which in this case is not the Foundation’s page. “[The Foundation] is pleased to participate in certain educational programs designed to improve the well-being of Albanians throughout the Balkans. We work with expert in-country partners who are dedicated and share our view on improving educational opportunities. As such, working with partners, the Biberaj Foundation does not accept applications directly,” clarifies spokesperson Biberaj.For anyone interested in the qualifications and deadline for the 2023 academic year, Biberaj said: “Individuals interested in applying to the Masters and Internship Program are encouraged to contact the Albanian American Development Foundation or American Councils for International Education. Applications can be accessed through the following link: mip.americancouncilsnetwork.org. Individuals interested in applying to the Rochester Institute of Technology (Kosovo) are encouraged to visit: https://www.rit.edu/kosovo/apply” In terms of how the performance of the program is assessed, Biberaj’s answer was: “The success of the program is measured by the successful graduation of each student and their ability to return home and obtain high quality and important employment. 100% of the graduating Fellows are employed in many sectors including, government, NGOs, business, and health. The academic success as measured by their overall average grade is excellent.” I pushed him for more information and he noted that “100% of the graduated Fellows have left the US” and that he “can get an update on where they have landed in terms of work, etc.”In the words of Ina Gjika, an MIP Fellow, who pursued a two-year Master’s Degree at Cornell University, the key is “commitment” even for “a pandemic scholar” as she calls herself. She believes that “the Albanian education system could use so many of these concepts to increase access to education in the most remote areas even at a post-pandemic time.” Looking back at the time she decided to apply for the MIP program, she concludes “it was a great decision.” While she came to the program with a focus on development economics, Ina Gjika found her “career direction – renewable energy and green finance,” that she is committed to pursue fully. Her only hope and goal, she says, is “to further live the legacy and built on the experience in an impactful way.”Investment in education needs to be a priority for the Albanian government. The Biberaj Foundation model is delivering results not only in academics but also in the return of highly educated Albanians back home.