On February 4, 1902, Ismail Qemali participated in the First Young Turk Congress in Paris, with the slogan: “Neither with the old Turks nor with the new Turks, but let us work for the homeland.”

This congress, organized by Prince Sabaheddin and Prince Lutfullah, saw several prominent figures of the Albanian National Movement, alongside Ismail Qemali, representing the Albanian side: Dervish Hima, Ibrahim Temo, and Jashar Erebara.

The involvement of key members of the Albanian National Movement in the Young Turk movement, which aimed to restore the 1876 constitution, was motivated by the goal of recognizing non-Turkish nationalities, their political rights, and the promotion of native languages and schools.

Amid sharp polemics, two lines of thought emerged within the Young Turks: one that favored Turkish nationalism and the other, liberal Ottomanism.

Remaining loyal to his beliefs, Ismail Qemali did not agree with the nationalist policy of the Young Turks, which threatened not only the existence of the Albanian people but also the very existence of the Turkish nation, revived through the revolution led by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

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