On July 1, 1643, Frang Bardhi, writer of old Albanian literature, passed away. He is known as the first Albanian lexicographer, as historian and ethnographer. As a student, he began to write works in Latin that later made him famous. Some of them are: Latin-Albanian Dictionary, and Apology, written in 1636, dedicated to George Kastrioti Skanderbeg, a work with which he defends the hero’s Arbër origin from falsifications, providing arguments, powerful sound logic and documentary evidence.

On July 1, 1878, a General Assembly of the Albanian League was gathered in Prizren, 300 delegates from Kosova, Shkodra and the vilayet of Janina/Ioannina. After two days of discussions, the General Assembly approved a new Canon for the League of Prizren that sanctioned the legal basis to step by step build an autonomous Albanian state within the Ottoman imperial state.

On July 1, 1900, the philosopher and theologian Friar Zef Valentini was born in Padua. He was only 20 years old when he first came to Albania as a Jesuit missionary. He was a teacher at the Saverian College of Shkodër. At the end of 1943 Friar Zef Valentini left Albania for Italy, where he directed the magazine “Letture” and began to publish many texts about Albania. In 1955, he headed the Chair of the Albanian Language at the University of Palermo, where he founded and directed the “International Center for Albanian Studies”. He passed away in Palermo on November 16, 1979.

On July 1, 1924, according to the statute of the Supreme Council, Fan S. Noli was entrusted with the formation of the government.

On July 1, 1928, Merited Artist, Esma Agolli was born in Tirana. She started her acting activity in the People’s Theater at the age of 20 in 1948. There are over 50 roles, primary and secondary ones she has played in theater and moives. Esma Agolli passed away in Tirana on June 4, 2010.

On July 1, 1943, the Mukja Conference was held. On the political and military level, this Conference sought the creation of a national cooperation platform of WWII Albanian Resistance for a one unified front.

On July 1, 1945, the Ministry of War and National Defense was established to organize and direct the Armed Forces. The General Command of the National Army operated in its composition.

On July 1, 1947, Zooteknika, a scientific institution was founded in Shkodër.

On July 1, 1988, the magazine “Shpresa e Re” began to be published as a periodical once every three months. The first editorial was entitled “In the modest climate of New Hope”.

/a.p./