Musine Kokalari - My muse

Musine as the founder of the Social Democratic Party in Albania in 1943, was arrested an imprisoned by the communist regime in Albania. To little is known about the women writer with strong social democratic values since during 50 years of communism she was kept in prison and after she was deported and left without medical support when she was suffering from cancer. She died in 1983 in full isolation.

 To promote and make known the figure of Kokalari, FES with the association and the Municipality of Gjirokastra, organized the event which was focused in her writings, political views, personal life (if it can be considered as such) the family history, members of which were condemned to death and /or deported by the communist regime.

The Minister of Culture, Mirela Kumbaro, the Mayor of Gjirokastra,  Zamira Rami, and the Director of FES Tirana, Frank Hantke welcomed the event and also shared their appreciations for the figure of Kokalari as a role model for the continues  democratization of the society. Publicists, researchers, journalists and professors, from Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia and Greece such as: Shyqyri Hysi, Ermelinda Kashah, Zeqir Kadriu, Bedri Zyberaj, Arqile Gjata, Aleksander Cipa, Elsa Ballauri, shared their paper works and thesis with the participants (more than 120 present during the event). The family members of Musine, Mrs. Arjeta Kokalari (Director of Association – Museum Musine Kokalari) and Linda Kokalari thrilled the audience with their speeches and moments of their life with Musine.

Alina Wagner, a young scientist who did her internship in the office of FES - Tirana, for a period of 3 months, was impressed by the history of Musine Kokalari and she worked during this period to search and come out with an essay on “Musine Kokalari and Social Democracy in Albania”. She was inspired by her figure as a writer, politician and shared with the public the urgent need to promote the figure of Musine in times of pluralism to a larger public, not only in Albania but also abroad.

The museum of Musine Kokalari will be opened next year with the support of the Ministry of Culture, the family members and other support. It will coincide with the 100 years of birth of Musine and we hope that her vision of democratic Albania will be fulfilled in our country.