January 28, 1896, is the birthdate of Riza Cerova. He is a prominent figure of the national democratic movement “Hero of the people”. He was the main activist in the June 1924 Revolution and supported the democratic government. Riza Cerova was killed in Mokra, by the Zogist forces, on August 24, 1935.

The Congress of Lushnja kicked off its proceedings on January 28, 1920. 50 representatives from all the provinces of Albania were elected to the High Council consisting of: Aqif Pashë Elbasani, Mihal Turtulli, Luigj Bumçi and Abdi bej Toptani. This council would temporarily perform the functions of the head of state. The Congress also elected a National Council with 37 members that would perform the functions of the parliament. The delegates overthrew the temporary government of Durrës and elected the national government headed by Sulejman Delvina. Tirana was declared the capital and the withdrawal of Italian troops was requested.

 January 28, 1936 is the birthdate of our outstanding writer Ismail Kadare, several times a candidate for the Nobel Prize, born in Gjirokastra. After graduating in literature in Tirana, Kadare studied at Gorky University in Moscow. In the 60s, he returned to his homeland and began his career as a journalist, while he has been writing poetry since the 50s. In 1963, he published his first novel “The General of the Dead Army”, which has been published in about 50 languages. In October 1990, Ismail Kadare, in order to openly express his dissatisfaction with the communist regime, sought and received in France the status of a political asylum seeker. Kadare is the laureate of many national and international literary awards. Ismail Kadare has been decorated by the institution of the President of the Republic of Albania with the “Honour of the Nation” Order.
In 1992 he was awarded the Cino Del Duca World Prize, in 2005 he won the “Man Booker International Prize” evaluated as “a universal writer in the tradition of the storyteller that has its origins in Homer”. In 2009, he was awarded the Spanish Prince of Asturias Award, one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world. In 2010, he was honored in Italy with the “Lerici Pea” award. In 2015, he was awarded the “Jerusalem Prize”.
Ismail Kadare is an honorary member of the French Academy since 1996 and has been honored by the French state with the orders “Cross of the Legion of Honor”, “Officer of the Legion of Honor”, which from January 1, 2016 was decreed by the French President François Hollande with the “Commander of the Legion of Honor” order, in the traditional ceremony that takes place on the first day of the year and that has been awarded to outstanding figures from various public spheres since 1802.

/k.s/