The International Albanological Conference, where the spotlight is the figure of our national hero, Skanderbeg, is a good opportunity to reflect the point of views and attitudes of domestic and foreign historians.
"Skanderbeg is the figure representing the climax of resistance to the Ottoman Empire invasion, and his figure has been accompanied by some very interesting realities that brought the movement of masses who now are known as arbëreshë," said the Italian Professor Pietro Corrao during an interview for the Albanian Telegraphic Agency, at the end of his speech, Wednesday, during the 8th session of the International Conference on Albanology, dedicated to Gjergj Kastriot Skanderbeg."Skanderbeg is the motive that inspires us to talk also on other topics. Historians no longer deal with the figure of an individual, but with the period and the society in which this individual influences and the consequences he brought. That was the one I was lectured today," Corrao said.
"Of course, the case of Skanderbeg's anniversary prompts us to talk about Skanderbeg's figure. The figure has been mythologized over the years. This is something that happens in many parts of the world. But the realities that accompany this myth are very important because they represent the culmination of resistance against the Ottoman conquest ... This resistance was accompanied by some new realities in the Balkans. Here we can mention Arbëresh's movements, which were encouraged thanks to the positive relations of Albanians with the Kingdom of Naples and that of Sicily. These activities are very important to exchange the culture, views, and to confront the recognitions that all scholars have associated with the Middle Ages and the figure of Skanderbeg," Corrao said.
Within the Skanderbeg nationwide year, on the 550th anniversary of the death of our national hero, is being held the Albanological Conference, which gives opportunity to all those who studey Skanderbeg to get acquainted with and to unfold a certain topic of Skanderbeg era. This conference is divided into three sections. In the first and second sections are invited field specialists, academics inside and outside the country who teach their studies. The third section will draw the conclusions. Scanderbeg's nationwide year will end with the great diaspora summit in November, when will be the third section of the Albanology Conference. In this month (November) there will also be a series of major events. We will also give an account of what was done in Skanderbeg's year. All the works will be published at a second time in 2019.
In this regard, the government has thought that the major deficiencies of Albanology are some kind of basis for setting up a course to enable the training of young people in old languages, giving thus spirit and oxygen to Albanology , to build and leave the relay to generations to come.