112 years since the Congress of Manastir, the establishment of the Albanian alphabet

Members of the Congress of Bitola, November 17, 1908

 The Congress of Bitola was a national congress, which was held in Bitola from November 14 to November 22, 1908. The Congress of Bitola is considered the most important national assembly in the political and cultural history of Albanians in the early twentieth century.

This congress was held to examine some important issues of the national movement, in the first place it was important to consider the issue of the alphabet of the Albanian language. It was attended by 50 delegates of societies, clubs, and national bodies of the Albanian territories.

The Congress set up a commission of 11 delegates where Gjergj Fishta was elected chairman of the commission. In this commission were present these members: N. Mjeda, Gj. Qiriazi, M. Frashëri, S. Peci, Sh. Kolonja, L. Gurakuqi, Dh. Buda, B.Topulli, N.Vrioni, G.Cilka.

After much discussion, a new alphabet was created, based entirely on the Latin alphabet. In the end the commission the congress decided to allow both the use of the Istanbul alphabet, which had a widespread, as well as the new alphabet. Within a few years, the new alphabet became the common and only alphabet for all Albanians, which is the current alphabet of the Albanian language.

In this congress were taken important decisions on the issue of the alphabet and political ones, which helped to raise to a higher level of Albanian culture and education, as well as its further unification in the struggle for national liberation.