Calendar – July 4

On July 4, 1918, the Vatra Society of Albanians in the US represented Albania before the American president Wilson, thus gaining one of the greatest Albanian friends, who saved Albania from partition during the Versailles Conference after the WWI. Vatra played the role of an Albanian government in exile.
On July 4, 1922, Viktor Gjoka, a well-known Albanian actor, was born in Tepelena. He started his artistic activity in his youth with amateurs. He was admitted to the National Theater in 1946 and worked until 1971. Among his most successful roles we mention the parts “Revizori”, “Merry Wives of Windsor”, “The Second Face” and “Carnivals of Korça”. He came back to the National Theater in 1991, after a long absence of more than two decades. Viktor Gjoka passed away on November 24, 2007.
A rare document found in the fund of the Central Archive of the Albanian State bears the date July 4, 1924. It is a letter from the Organizing Committee of the “Lushnja Boyhood” written by Ahmet Shehu, Shuk Radoja and Naum Prifti, addressed to the government of Fan Noli. They submit some remarks to the leaders of the democratic revolution, which have not been the center of attention of the Albanian government of the time.
On July 4, 1965, the late Monsignor Rrok Mirdita, Archbishop of the Metropolitan of Tirana-Durrës Archdioceses, was ordained a priest by His Grace Aleksandër Tokic, Archbishop of Tivar.
On July 4, 2003, by decree of the President of the Republic of Albania, Gjergj Mehmeti was proclaimed “Martyr of the Motherland”. He was born in 1957 in Vlora. After graduating from the high police school, he was appointed a police officer. He died in the line of duty on March 4, 1997 at the age of 40, in Qafë-Gjashta, Saranda.
/a.p./



