The Academy of Sciences of Albania has commemorated academician Alfred Uçi, a leading philosopher, aesthetician and cultural thinker who helped shape Albania’s school of aesthetic studies. The tribute marks 10 years since his death on Oct. 26, 2016.

Born in Korçë on Dec. 12, 1930, Uçi studied philosophy at Moscow’s Lomonosov University. After returning to Albania, he taught philosophy and aesthetics at the University of Tirana for many years, influencing generations of scholars, lecturers and intellectuals.

Uçi devoted much of his research to Albanian philosophical heritage and prominent figures in the country’s intellectual history, including Jani Vreto and Teodor Anastas Kavalioti. His work spanned aesthetics, cultural philosophy, the history of ideas, art theory and national identity, establishing him as a key figure in Albanian humanities.

Between 1979 and 1986, Uçi headed the Institute of Folk Culture, where he also served as editor-in-chief of Kultura Popullore and oversaw several scientific publications. He later chaired the Committee for Culture and the Arts and served as minister of culture from 1987 to 1990. After leaving public office, he devoted himself to research and publishing.

His extensive body of work explores aesthetics, culture, folklore, mythology and literature. Among his best-known books are Aesthetics, Life, Art, Problems of Aesthetics, Mythology, Folklore, Literature, Shakespeare in the Albanian World, Aesthetics in Albanian Literature and The Aesthetics of Folklore.

These works remain important references for scholars studying Albania’s intellectual and cultural heritage. Through his teaching, research and publications, Uçi left a lasting mark on the development of Albanian philosophy, aesthetics and cultural thought.