Today marks 20 years since the death of writer and intellectual Vath Koreshi. He passed away on February 3, 2006, at the Gemelli Hospital in Rome after a long illness. He was three months away from his 70th birthday.

Vath Koreshi remains one of the most distinctive figures in Albanian literature and thought. His work belongs not only to his family, but to the national culture as a whole. However, two decades after his death, efforts to publish his complete works have produced no result.

The author’s family has expressed readiness to support this initiative. Yet an important question remains. Should the responsibility for preserving and publishing such a legacy fall only on the family? Or should institutions and society share this duty as part of the country’s cultural memory?

The year 2026 marks a jubilee year for Albanian literature. It includes the 95th anniversary of Dritëro Agolli’s birth and the 90th anniversary of Ismail Kadare’s birth. The same year also marks the 90th anniversary of Koreshi’s birth. This symbolic moment should renew attention to his work.

Five years ago, an evaluation board in Albania rejected the family’s request to honor Koreshi through the publication of his works. The board included academic and cultural figures. That decision still leaves a sense of regret and an institutional gap.

Koreshi should not remain only a private family figure. He forms part of the national cultural conscience. His literary and intellectual heritage requires study, support, and preservation for future generations.

On the 20th anniversary of his passing, Koreshi’s memory lives through his work, his words, and his influence on Albanian thought. His legacy remains alive.

/a.c/