-On August 17, 1904, the Assembly of the Land was convened in Kashnjet of Lezha, aiming to stop the blood feud.

On August 17, 1911, Petro Nini Luarasi, activist of the Albanian National Renaissance, the Teacher of the People, Petro Nini Luarasi, passed away in Erseka, poisoned. He was born in Luaras, of Kolonja in 1865. He opened the first Albanian schools in Erseka, Kolonja and was the director of the first Albanian school in Korça. He was the initiator of the patriotic societies “Mall i Mëmëdheut /The Longing for Motherland” and “Pellazgu” /The Pelasgian/. He was persecuted by the Young Turks and the Patriarchate of Istanbul for his patriotic activity.

-On August 17, 1920, Vlora was liberated from the occupying Italian army that had invaded the province since the WWI. The expulsion of the Yugoslav army outside the territorial borders and the liberation of Vlora were great victories of the Government of Tirana, headed by Sulejman Delvina, who addressed the Great Powers a “note”, demanding that Yugoslavia recognized the territorial integrity of Albania.

-On August 17, 1928, the elections for the Constitutional Assembly took place. On September 1, 1928, that Assembly passed Article 1 of the new Basic Statute, declaring Albania a “democratic, parliamentary and hereditary Kingdom” and Ahmet Zogu King of the Albanians with the name Zog I.

-On August 17, 1948, Mother Teresa, for the first time, wore the white robe with blue stripes and left the Convent of Loreto, thus entering with compassion into the world of the poor to leave extraordinary deep traces.

-On August 17, 1949, in Mirdita, the residents faced a rare natural phenomenon. Although it was the middle of August, it snowed.

-On August 17, 2015, the People’s Artist, Albert Verria, a great actor of dozens of roles in Albanian and foreign cinematography and drama, passed away at the age of 79. Albert Verria was born on September 3, 1936 in Fier, in the large merchant family. The actor, who was quickly accepted and affirmed by the public, played over 110 roles, most of which, thanks to his interpretation, are today part of the national memory. He was only 32 years old in 1972 when he played the role of Captain Sulo in the comedy movie “The Captain”, which put him in the front line of great Albanian artists. There are more than 20 movies in which he played, and which are remembered today, even only to deliver a single humoristic line.

/a.p./