Dielli | The Sun

Albanian American Newspaper Devoted to the Intellectual and Cultural Advancement of the Albanians in America | Since 1909

VATRA COMMEMORATES MAY RIOTS OF SPAC AND QAFE BAR BY STANDING WITH SURVIVORS

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By Rafaela Prifti/

VATRA held its first virtual commemorative event to honor the anticommunist prison riots of Space and Qafe Bar of May 1973 and 1984. On behalf of the survivors of Albania’s political persecuted, VATRA’s leadership vowed to raise awareness and take action to petition US Congress and authorities.

On Thursday, two members of the Executive Board of VATRA, Ervin Dine and Merita McCormack sent out e-invites for a Zoom meeting dedicated to the Spac and Qafe Bari prison rebellions. Unable to go to the annual commemorative ceremony in Washington DC in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, they said that moving the event online was appropriate. VATRA’s Vice President in charge of innovation, integration and youth, Ervin Dine, reinforced the importance of such acts of remembrance for the future generations and to not allow the return of the past. Elmi Berisha, President of VATRA thanked the initiators, participants and the ones who were not able to attend. He said: “The generations of Albanians who suffered persecution and were victimized by the Communist regime have protected our national identity and moral integrity.” Directly speaking to the survivors, Mr. Berisha stated: “You are the spark and the inspiration for our freedom. The Pan-Albanian Federation of America Vatra is proud to stand with you.” Expressing respect and gratitude, Dr. Pashko Camaj, VATRA’s Vice-President for Community Outreach and Education, remarked: “Nothing is worse than forgetfulness. Tonight’s event serves to remove the dust of history and let these heroes shine.”

Delivering a poignant key note address, Pellumb Lamaj, a symbol of anticommunist resistance, greeted “the positive initiative to pay homage to two crucial revolts that have become synonymous with anticommunist resistance. “The prison uprisings in Spac and Qafe Bar occurred three decades ago. In both cases, the regime’s violently crushed the protests and executed a number of the protagonists. Yet the martyrs have no grave for their family members to go to. Such actions by the communist amount to nothing more than a coward act of robing us of our history,” said Mr. Lamaj. He praised VATRA for honoring the martyrs and indicated that the Pan-Albanian Federation of America has the resources to take on the role of the anticommunist advocate in the diaspora. Lek Mirakaj, member of VATRA’s Board of Directors, remembered how his son, and his co-sufferer’s son ran into one another when families were allowed to see them in prison. It was a powerful image and message of the long-lasting wounds inflicted by communism onto the people. Mr. Mirakaj recalled the tenacity of Pellumb Lamaj who was thrown in Spac prison as a 19 year-old teenager, where he served a 12 year sentence, equal to about three-fourth of his whole life. “For a state with a history of roughly 100 years, the riots of Spac and Qafe Bar mark two stand-out moments. It was exactly there that chants like “Freedom! Democracy!” “Down with Communism!” were voiced out by the politically persecuted. The same cries rallied the students in the 1990s anticommunist movement in Albania. So, it is clear that the prisoners’ rebellions were expressions of the people’s aspirations to throw away the shackles of the regime,” said Mr. Mirakaj. Standing next to his son, Ervin, the next keynote speaker Dine Dine, started by saying that he shies away from public speaking. Then, the published author eloquently emphasized how the persecution practices and sentencing were maliciously prolonged in Albania. “After serving time in prison, we, as many others, were sent to internment camps of hard physical labor and unspeakable conditions,” he said. Mr. Dine recalled another fellow prisoner, as “an honest man and a hero”, who is the brother of Mark Mrnacaj from VATRA’s Board of Directors. He said that attending the meeting is an act of commemorates the legacy of the survivors. His family has endured a lengthy persecution from 1948 to 1989.      

The survivors have been subjected to prison and labor camps for the better part of their lives in Albania. They are American Albanians and live in the US in the last decades, well-respected for their civic duties and role in the community. Roughly three decades after the collapse of communism, these survivors feel they have been terrorized for a second time by the ensuing noncommunist elite in Albania and lack of accountability by the ones in charge and responsible for the acts of torture, persecution and executions under communism. Mr. Dine Dine reference the dilapidated state of a Tepelene memorial in Albania dedicated to the Spac prison revolt. Responding to the idea of memorializing the survivors, Dr. Pashko Camaj of the Executive Board suggested a publication to document their memories and life stories. Merita McCormack advised the screening of the documentary film produced by Pellumb Lamaj at VATRA’s Headquarters. Mr. Mirakaj and Mr. Dine spoke of Pellumb Lamaj’s courage and uncompromising determination to expose the crimes of communism in Albania. Dielli’s Editor Dalip Greca said that he has covered extensively the topic of the crimes of communism through survivors’ interviews and witness stories. “The notorious prisons of Spac and Qafe Bari belonged to the communist machine of victimization and oppression that were prevalent in Albania. The barbaric punishment continued even after the Spac riot was crushed,” said Mr. Greca. Speaking as a survivor of imprisonment in the former-Yugoslavia, Shaqir Salihu said that, in comparison with Kosova, the prisons in Albania were harsher, while at the same time the communist propaganda promoted a false reality to indoctrinate the minds of Albanians who lived outside its borders. On the topic of actions and future goals, Augustin Mirakaj and Ervin Dine of the Executive Board of VATRA suggested drafting a petition to US Congress and the President to denounce “Albania’s communists as terrorists”. “Ironically”, they said, “today the same individuals who are responsible for the crimes against the persecuted in Albania are not held accountable. Instead, these individuals speak as democrats and hold government positions.” At the end of the meeting, President of VATRA, Elmi Berisha pledged his support: “I, with all of you, will stay committed to the cause of fighting for the martyrs of communism.”  

The crimes of the ‘Red Terror’ have taken a significant toll on the members of VATRA for many generations. They are deeply embedded in VATRA’s long history of opposing communism and well-documented in Dielli. In May of last year, senior representatives of the Pan-Albanian Federation of America VATRA attended the annual commemorative service at the designated memorial site in Washington DC, to honor the memory of the victims of communism. I filed the report titled ‘We no longer wish to be victims of communism”. At the end of the virtual event on Thursday, it was proposed that the month of May be dedicated to the anticommunist martyrs. And there is a lot more to be done.   

“YOU CAN BET ON AMERICA”

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ANALYSIS: FINANCE AND ECONOMICS /

By Rafaela Prifti/

This article delves into understanding the gap between market and economic data, based on comments of financial and policy analysts as well as input from business and finance professionals of VATRA community. While everyone seems to be in agreement about staying cautiously optimistic, it is prudent to prepare for certain variables and a lasting impact.    

In the early stages of the outbreak, stocks tumbled amid fears of the virus spread and its potential impact on the global economy. During that time, at several points, trading was halted to rein in the chaos. In the following weeks, the markets bounced, for the most part, while the economy is in decline and 38.6 million Americans have filed for jobless claims in nine weeks. The stock market isn’t the economy, but it is worth-looking into the explanations that might be driving its performance in a relatively loose relation with the grim reality of the coronavirus pandemic. The IRS and Treasury Department announced that about 4 million stimulus payments will be sent to Americans on prepaid debit cards instead of as paper checks. The Federal Reserve and, to some extent Congress have taken extraordinary measures to pump money into the economy and prop up markets. The amount of spending up to date amounts to about one-third of GDP in a very short period of time. This is considered to be the main driver of the market’s rebound and a factor that keeps the investors’ nerves in check. 

Fed’s Monetary Policy

The Fed is the nation’s monetary policy authority. On Tuesday, the Head of the US Central Bank, Jerome Powell, appeared before the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Committee urging Congress for more fiscal relief. The Chair of Federal Reserve assured lawmakers that the central bank is committed to using its “full range of tools” to support the economy as long as needed. The Fed plans to buy both investment-grade and high-yield corporate bonds, which means that the Fed is promising to buy corporate debt that’s at low risk for default, and debt that is not. These maneuvers have injected an enormous amount of liquidity in the market and restored faith of both private corporate bond buyers and equity investors that the central bank is there to back them up. The Fed still has not spent money on its corporate bonds program. The enormous amount of liquidity has allowed the market to be more optimistic than the health experts’ predictions for the pandemic. During the last global financial crisis, the Federal Reserve provided extraordinary policy tools never used before in effect “decoupling the stock market’s fortunes from that of the economy,” say the experts. The same measures were employed this time around. In the modern bailout era, between the Fed and the federal government, there’s reason for equity investors to feel okay. 

The corporate America woes in the short term are evident. To illustrate the point, Ervin Dine, Deputy Chairman of the Pan-Albanian Federation of America VATRA, speaking in his capacity as the NYC District Manager at his company said: “This last quarter was a severe decline. Just to give you an idea, my company, the largest transportation solutions provider in the world, just on this quarter alone is eighty percent behind last year’s revenue.” Mr. Dine considered that the present financial and economic indicators would need some adjustments in the long term. “Markets did stabilize due to the stimulus package and assistance provided to both companies and individuals. However, if the stay at home orders continue for much longer, it could mean an even further decline. Yes, there will be investors that will be able to take advantage of the new reality, but with unemployment at the rate that it is, confidence may slip further. I firmly believe that the administration has a plan to get the economy back on track. I do think however that it will take some time for the new post COVID-19 normal. Companies and employees will have to adjust to a new way of doing business,” he said. The Fed’s actions solve the immediate liquidity problem. They keep companies afloat but don’t solve whether a business is going to be viable and therefore able to pay back the debt in the long run. Many companies, especially small businesses, have struggled to get loans. A new Congressional Oversight Commission report found that the Treasure Department has barely spent any of the $500 billion set aside to help businesses and local governments. In an interview with the English Editor of Dielli, President of Pan-Albanian Federation of America VATRA, Elmi Berisha projected optimism that “out of the economic downturn, new opportunities will arise.” In his view, “The Albanian American business community operates mainly in three area: gastronomy, construction and real estate.” Mr. Berisha, who has received US College education in Business and Management, said: “The restaurant industry has been hit hard. Those in the business who will adapt, will also be able to succeed. The construction contractors and companies that are subject to rules and regulations pertaining to the procurement of goods, services, insurances and so on, have to contend with those factors. Thirdly, the housing market has seen sales drop and given the numbers now it could be headed toward a downturn. Also the supply and demand for retail space may change significantly while the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic takes hold.” Yet, Vatra’s President expressed optimism in the revival and the prevailing spirit of the Albanian American community of entrepreneurs. I asked VATRA’s Treasurer, Marjan Cubi, for his personal perspective in the face of the global health crisis. “Since I came to this country in 1974, I have appreciated the American democracy,” he said. Mr. Cubi singled out the policies of President Trump to secure America’s borders, restore its economic and military powers in the world. VATRA’s Executive Financial Officer noted that in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, “the President’s actions of banning the flights from China and limiting travels from Europe, have significantly reduced the number of infection related deaths in the US. And there is a lot of hope for a vaccine in the year 2021.” 

Fiscal Recovery Driven by Intervention

Institutional investors and individual retail investors reportedly saw record sign-ups in the first three months of the year, amid volatility caused by coronavirus. According to analysts, there are not many lucrative alternatives to investing in stocks right now. The government bonds offer super-low returns. The interest rate on 10-year US government bonds is 0.6 %, down from more than 3% in late 2018. So, experts say that buying stock in companies that are still profitable despite the Covid-19 recession looks pretty attractive. Many companies are doing well particularly in tech: Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, Google-owner Alphabet, and Facebook reported strong earnings last week and make up about one-fifth of the S&P 500’s market value. The stock market doesn’t reflect the economy in total. Small businesses and companies that aren’t publicly traded are being hit hard right now. The stock market is sometimes considered to be a leading indicator of what will happen in the economy. Analysts say that investors are pegging some of their hopes to a treatment for the coronavirus, and they’re excited about states reopening. Most agree that in the global health crisis of the coronavirus, predictions about the economy are increasingly difficult. 

You Can Bet On America But Be Careful

The market has been volatile in recent months and moves on a day-to-day news and headlines, which are constantly changing. At the moment, numbers show that the economy shrank 4.8 % in the first quarter and upward of 30 million people have filed jobless claims. I followed billionaire Warren Buffett’s virtual annual 2020 Berkshire Hathaway meeting streamed online. In the 2008 financial crisis, Mr. Buffet encouraged investors to “buy American”. This time he was careful to say that the markets will improve in the long term – though the time frame of his certainty was decades, not months or even years from now. He noted the possibility of a second wave of coronavirus infections and acknowledged that the world might profoundly change for years to come. “You can bet on America, but you kind of have to be careful about how you bet,” he said. Speaking about the overall climate, the Goldman associate admitted that the future is less clear. He described a worst-case scenario: “If we haven’t hit the bottom yet, things will get very, very bad, because then you’ll see a lot of cascading effects where a hedge fund will blow up, which means the pension fund that is invested in the hedge fund now has to take that loss, which means they have to de-risk, so they have to move out of equities. There’s a very real possibility that people could get washed out, not just retail investors, but everybody.” At a time when the stock market has been buoyed by Fed’s maneuvering, moves to reopen America and investors’ willingness to overlook the economic data, he said the energy, oil, real estate and retail industries are all facing problems that could reverberate throughout the economy, and into the banking system. He added that the banks were better prepared in 2008. One statement might have offered Mr. Buffet’s most immediate insight: “This is a very good time to borrow money, which means it may not be such a great time to lend money.”

CORONAVIRUS AND OTHER CHALLENGES FOR THE WORLD ORGANIZATION

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By Rafaela Prifti/ Kosovo’s vulnerability to the pandemic worsened by political divisions, says Head of UNMIK, Mr. Zahir Tanin. Security Council struggles over a symbolic Resolution for a global ceasefire.

The Secretary General Special Representative and Head of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) Zahir Tanin conducted his first regular briefing to the UN Security Council via videoconference on Friday. He told the Security Council that Kosovo is especially vulnerable to the threat of a wider pandemic. Mr. Tahin commended the ‘swift actions taken by public health authorities and heroic efforts by the medical personnel’. However, the Special Representative of Secretary General for Kosovo expressed concern over internal political instability. “It is an unfortunate feature of the present circumstances in Kosovo that political divisions have distracted the attention of many leaders away from the health crises,” he said. While calling for more resources to assist the most vulnerable in Kosovo, Mr. Tanin asserted that the internal divisions have “served to reduce public trust in political leadership…” The Head of UNMIK outlined several critical elements needed to combat the coronavirus outbreak such as “a focused government, a mobilized population and resources driven by strong leadership.” In the face of new alarming challenges such as a stark rise in domestic violence, Mr. Tanin urged political leaders “to focus on unifying their energy while putting personal and political agendas aside.”   

On another development, the US diplomats have blocked a vote on a UN Security Council Resolution intended to show global support for a ceasefire during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Council, comprised of fifteen member countries, has been trying for more than six weeks to agree on a text that calls for a ceasefire in global conflicts so the world can focus on the pandemic. The cause of the delay is the US refusal to endorse a resolution that references the World Health Organization, a UN agency based in Geneva. A spokesperson for the US mission at the UN said that if the resolution was to mention the work of the WHO, it would have to include critical language about how China and the WHO have handled the pandemic. Washington has halted funding for the WHO, after President Donald Trump accused it of being “China-centric” and promoting China’s “disinformation” about the outbreak. Through negotiations, a compromise was reached where instead of naming the WHO, the draft referenced “specialized health agencies.” China has insisted it be included, while some other members see the mentioning of the name as a marginal issue. United States rejected that language on Friday, because it was an obvious reference to the WHO which is the only such agency, diplomats said. President Trump has blamed the World Health Organization for the pandemic claiming that it withheld information in the early days without providing supporting evidence. During weeks of negotiations both China and the United States had raised the prospect of a veto on the issue of whether WHO is mentioned or not. A resolution needs nine votes in favor and no vetoes by the five permanent members: France, Russia, Britain, the United States or China to pass. The recent compromise on the text was rejected on Friday. A spokesperson for the Department of State said that the United States had worked constructively and accused China of repeatedly blocking compromises during negotiations. The Security Council is tasked with maintaining international peace and security. At the time of the Coronavirus pandemic, diplomats and analysts say the resolution would have projected global unity by backing the ceasefire call of the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

MARCH 7 AT THE BRONX ADDITION OF ALBA LIFE SCHOOL

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Rafaela Prifti/

For at least once each weekend, the students of Alba Life, sit in classes across New York boroughs to engage in learning their mother tongue. The creators of the school, Kozeta and Qemal Zylo, are aware that diffusing the knowledge of the family language to the young generation born here is to the advantage of all Albanian people. The ones who carry out this honorable task are teachers at Alba Life that first opened its classes in the early 2000s. To appreciate the educators, in the tradition of the motherland, over 100 school students ranging from toddlers to teens, performed in front of their families and guests on March 7 at the Christopher Columbus High School. The date commemorates the opening of the first Albanian language school in the home-country in 1887. The venue represents the new Bronx addition of the Alba Life School operating now in all New York boroughs.

The performance brought all the students on the auditorium stage where each group that was called stepped forward to recite, sing or dance. It was a touching display of an enormous commitment by the school’s faculty who had built a program that showcased each child’s skills and level of proficiency. The presenter, Ms. Rea Ulaj, who is also a Board Member of the School, introduced fluidly each class with the corresponding teacher and each student performer. Dressed in red and black, the American-Albanian children of the 21 century generation, recited immortal poems written by Albanian poets of 19th century like Naim Frasheri, Andon Zako Cajupi, and modern day authors like Odhise  Grillo, Adelina Mamaqi, Ali Podrimja and more. And the audience was overcome with emotions. Guests like Mr. Mark Qehaja, Chairman of Albanian-American Skenderbeg Association, Mr. Lulzim Krasniqi, Counselor at Kosova’s New York General Consulate, praised teachers as the unsung heroes who motivate students throughout their lives. Mr. Mehill Velaj, Chairman of the Albanian-American Writers Association, shared bittersweet memories from the time he was forced to abandon his students and his profession from the threat of persecution by the Serbian regime. Dr. Manjola Duli, who introduced herself, spoke with heartfelt admiration for her beloved high school teacher Mrs. Kozeta Zylo. They both recounted the bleak experience of Albania’s civil unrest in 1997, that “forced me and the family to immigrate to the US”, said Mrs. Zylo. After more than twenty years, teacher and student were reunited in what was a very touching and befitting moment at the performance. The poems dedicated to ‘the divine language’, the alphabet, the teachers who have been in the front line of the Albanian national movement for independence, motherland and so on echoed poignantly at this time of troubling news from the home country. Whether timid or confident on stage, each student assisted by their instructors delivered their lines, carried the tunes and danced in a performance that lasted over two hours. Their voices grew stronger and rose up as the celebrated Albanian singer and Vatra member, Ms. Valbona Peraj encouraged them to join her in singing her hit songs – Jam Arberore, Kuq e Zi. Speaking in Albanian and then English. New York Councilman Mark Gjonaj, said that he was honored to be invited and be included in Alba Life’s programs. Mr. Mark Gjonaj awarded each teacher with a Letter of Citation in recognition of their valuable work for the community. 

My personal connection with the school began when the directors, Qemal and Kozeta Zylo, invited my father, Naum R. Prifti at the Brooklyn classes on March 7, about ten years ago. He is a writer who also taught for a number of years in Albania. Since his birthday happens to be on the same day as Teacher’s Day, Alba Life celebrated both jointly. Last June, during the Albanian week that culminated with the midtown parade led by Albanian Roots, I covered the open classes dedicated to Chameria at the Staten Island affiliate of Alba Life. Students presented proudly the posters they had prepared with thoughtfulness and diligence. The performance of March 7, 2020 was an opportunity to see all the students and faculty of Alba Life from all boroughs. I got inspired to ask the students to write a short description of their performance experience. Much like the school and the teachers, I also aim to cultivate the love for our language by following the footsteps of the founders of Dielli. For it is to the advantage of all Albanian people to know both – the first language and mother tongue – equally well.  

MEMORIES OF PRE-PANDEMIC TIMES REVIVE THE SOCIAL PAST

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By Rafaela Prifti/

Near to two months, the days in the lockdown city go by without much variation while questions of the collective revival spring up in our minds. Memories of the social past persist as the quarantine that has shaped our lives since last March is expected to be lifted in mid-May. Picking up our lives from the “pause” stemming from the pandemic may still take some mental practice and imagination. I remember two community events that were hosted on March 7 in the Bronx to commemorate teachers and honor heroes whose sacrifices laid the foundations of the Albanian nation. The concert was presented by Alba Life and the afternoon ceremony by the American Albanian Society Foundation. How do hosts and community activists, Kozeta, Qemal Zylo, and Esad A. Rizai remember that day and what are their thoughts on the current situation? 

KOZETA AND QEMAL ZYLO

Kozeta Zylo, writer and co-founder of Alba Life School, says that it is very hard not to visit with the grandchildren as she follows the stay-at-home guidelines. “I truly miss our students,” Mrs. Zylo confides, recalling their March 7th concert earlier this year “and the sweet sounds of their voices.” As far as work with Alba Life TV, she conducts interviews via Internet with public health professionals and medical experts around the world to thank them for their service. Her career and life partner, Qemal Zylo, Director and Founder of Alba Life TV and School, reveals that the current isolation in America and around the globe feels unreal. “The highest toll of quarantine weeks has been the inability to get together with our children and grandchildren,” says he, “and not seeing the students, staff and parents.” The domestic routine contrasts sharply with the couple’s very active and dynamic lifestyle before the crises. “We were used to being constantly on the move,” explains Mr. Zylo, “running to community events with the camera equipment or carrying books to and from school. I miss it so much.” Yet they have adapted to the new reality and have moved to broadcast online. The Alba Life TV director mentions that they are bringing to the audience “Albanian greetings from the quarantine” and a special children’s program on Saturdays geared towards education. 

ESAD A. RIZAI

The host of the March 7 event at the Belmont Library, Mr. Esad A. Rizai, President of the Albanian American Society Foundation recalls his opening remarks there “Acknowledging and honoring those who have placed the nation’s interest above all else has brought us together today.” Mr. Rizai notes that the day itself carried symbolism and significance. Kosovo’s legendary hero and freedom fighter Adem Jashari, was slayed with some fifty members of his large family by the Serbian police forces in Prekaz on March 7, 1998. The prolific writer, novelist and satirist whose career spans for six decades Naum Prifti was born on March 7, 1932. The office of the Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Junior had issued a post-mortem citation to Adem Jashari and a Proclamation to honor the lifework of Naum Prifti. The Founder and President of the Albanian American Society Foundation, Mr. Esad A. Rizai, speaks with reverence about the impact of the “pen and the sword” that best personify two honorees, Adem Jashari and Naum Prifti. He remembers the special guests, community representative and family members at the event: Mr. Hajdin Alijaj, Mr. Avni Karakushi, Mr. and Mrs. Enver and Kade Lajqi from the American Albanian Society Foundation, Ricci Campbell, American actor.  In his remarks, Albanian poet and songwriter Isa Brecani highlighted moments of Adem Jashari’s life that has impacted generations of Albanians. With reference to Jashari’s heroic acts, Mr. Rizai says “History has shown that even one person can make a difference,” through the strength of their power or the might of the pen. Julika Prifti, the writer’s second daughter, noted that despite the years, his purity, gentleness and unique humanity are the signature traits of Naum Prifti as a person and a writer. The professional writer, continued his publicist career after moving to America, and also carried out the duties of Secretary of Vatra for over a decade. Imbued with the ideals of the older generation of Albanians and spirit of patriotism, “these men have made us proud as Albanians living in America”, said Mr. Rizai. In part, the Proclamation by President Ruben Diaz Junior of the Bronx representing more than 1.4 million residents stated “In recognition of the Albanian-American community of New York and around the world, we honor Naum Prifti, a prominent writer, playwright, publicist and accomplished translator of English, French and Italian whose timeless works have captured the beauty of the Albanian culture.” Accepting the honor, Naum Prifti said with a chuckle that although he did not choose to be born on March 7th, he did start writing at a very young age, and grew increasingly aware of the exceptional burden that a writer carries. “In the years of the “cultural revolution’ of Albania’s tight communist grip, I was sent to teach in the Divjake region to be ‘reeducated’ after having written a play that was deemed to be ‘ideologically faulty’ by the political standards of the regime.” He remarked that teachers, just like writers and artists are bound by a similar mission because the success of a writer is not measured by the literary awards but rather by the readers’ love and affection for the body of work he has created. “In this sense, the writer is a public persona or a personality with a social status that goes beyond the circle of family and friends into the generations who, have come to know the works of the writer, and have allowed themselves to be entertained as well as educated by them. We are only as good as the humanism we have inspired onto others because art is not its own purpose,” said Naum Prifti.

While the New York governor laid out the terms for a phased reopening to start in over a week, it is refreshing to visit the pre-pandemic memories to revive our social past if only in our minds. 

CONVERSING WITH MY FATHER 

Along the struggles for freedom, throughout our history, Albanian educators and patriots have embodied the power of the word. To explore further the origins of the term “the pen is mightier than the sword” my father and I looked into the records. Comparisons between words and weapons go back in the Greek civilization, yet the first recorded expression is documented in the historical play Cardinal Richelieu written by English writer and politician Edward Buwle-Lytton. The Chief Minister to King Louis XIII, Richelieu was believed to have discovered a plot to kill him, but as a priest he was unable to take up arms against the enemies. When one of the characters points out: “But now, at your command are other weapons, my good Lord.” Richelieu agrees, by stating: “The pen is mightier than the sword… Take away the sword; States can be saved without it!” The expression quickly gained currency, according to the Oxford Quotations Dictionaries and by the mid nineteenth century “it was commonplace.” Still in 17th century publications and even earlier, variations of the phrase make appearance in print to convey a popular saying of the time “A blow with a word strikes deeper than a blow with a sword”. Going all the way back to the Greek civilizations, Euripides, the poet who died about 406 BC, is credited with writing: “The tongue is mightier than the blade.” In classical times there was a belief that the written word possessed the power to survive “and transcend even the bloodiest events… even if they didn’t actually prevail against arms in the short term.”  In the present times, an adequate illustration of the word and weapon comparison is Napoleon Bonaparte. “Four hostile newspapers are more to be feared than 1,000 bayonets,” he is quoted as saying in some official accounts. After Napoleon seized power and proceeded to influence politics of 19th century Europe, he suppressed most of the newspapers in France and sanctioned only a handful of publications. Scholars agree that he respected the press and feared it too. The military mind of the General who crowned himself Emperor of the French realized that the pen, in his own hand could be a weapon, with which he could undermine the allies who had defeated him. He did just that by writing his own memoirs and transforming himself from a bloody minded despot who buried the French Revolution into a fair-minded constitutionalist who saved the Revolution and liberated Europe. On Balzac’s desk sat a bust of the emperor, the base emblazoned with the words “All that he did with a sword, I will accomplish with a pen.” 

Then our memories arch back to my father’s play Plumbat e Shkronjave, which two professional theaters made into a production in Albania in May 1978. The inspiration for writing the play came from Professor Skender Luarasi, who first had shared with Naum Prifti the story of the teacher Gjerasim Qiriazi kidnaped by rebel Shahin Matraku. To lure the bandit to take action, the Greek Patrichana had pushed false information that a wealthy gentleman was passing by. In reality, the teacher was on his way to open an all girls’ school in Korca. The Albanian patriots intervened to free Gjerasim Qiriazi who along with his sisters taught at Korca School for girls. Inspired by the true events, my father wrote the play which I still remember for its powerful characters, dialogue and a remarkable twist.