August 23, 1848 – Jeronim De Rada publishes “L’Albanese d’Italia” (Albanian of Italy) in Naples, Italy. The first officially recognized Albanian newspaper. 27 issues were published, in Italian, until 1849, about 3 issues per month, where problems of Albanians in Italy were mainly dealt with.

The European main powers, with the exception of the Russian representative, approved on August 23, 1880 the project drawn up jointly by the representatives of France and Austria-Hungary, in which it was suggested to the Porte to grant administrative autonomy not to the entire vilayet of Shkodra, but only to the patriarchal highlands of the North.

On August 22-23, 1912, the Ottoman Government published reduced requests for autonomy, in the official notebook, where out of the 12 accepted requests, the name Albanian or Albania is not mentioned at all. The Great Powers openly declared that they do not want to disrupt the peace and are in favor of maintaining the status quo in the Balkans.

On August 23, 1923, the Italian General Tellini was killed. He together with Riza Kolonja and representatives of the Greek side were appointed by the Conference of Ambassadors to establish the borders between Albania and Greece. The Italian soldier was accused by the Greek government of supporting Albania’s claims. On the day when the border pyramids were being placed in Kakavija, Tellini was killed along with four soldiers on the Janina-Kakavija road. The Greek government condemned the murder, but the assassins were never found.

Marigo Pozio, activist of the movement for national liberation, passed away on August 23, 1932. She was born on September 19, 1878 in Hoçisht, Korca. In 1904, he settled in Vlora, where he contributed to the spread of the Albanian school and education, national culture and the emancipation of women. In 1908 she was a member of the “Laberia” club. She embroidered the flag that was raised in Vlora by Ismail Qemali on the day of the Declaration of Independence. She was the secretary of the women’s society “National Hope”, and the head of the newspaper with the same name. Marigo Pozio passed away in Tirana.

The singer from Berat, Kozma Dushi was born in the Mangalem neighborhood on August 23, 1954. He was 10 years old when he started to sign. Then, from the years 1970-1973, he was active in the variety show of Berat. He graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts for canto. After that, in 1985, he was appointed to the State Variety Theater, where he worked for 20 years. Kozma Dushi is a participant of 32 song festivals in the RTSH, still being active on the stage. His contribution does not stop only in the light music but also in the folk music of Berat.

On August 23, 2003, conductor, composer, maestro Ferdinand Deda passed away in one of Ankara’s hospitals. Ferdinand Deda was born in Peqin, on February 5, 1941. After finishing the artistic high school in Tirana in 1960, he studied conducting at the Prague conservatory. After a year, he was forced to stop his studies and continue them in 1962 in Tirana. He had directed the RTSH orchestra since a student, and after his studies he was appointed to this orchestra. He has performed over 300 concerts at home and abroad, such as in Italy, Turkey, Greece. He has composed music for many films, 3 symphonic dances as well as four sketches for piano, trio for violin, cello and piano, string orchestra, for clarinet and rhapsody for orchestra. It is also notable in the genre of light songs for children. Ferdinand Deda is the founder of the spring concerts at RTSH. In 1997, he was declared the winner of the “Golden Disc” and was honored with the title “Merited Artist” and “Great Master”.

/a.p./