Dr. Murad Hofmann and his life as a German-European Muslim

Ermal BEGA

Dr. Murad Hofmann and his life as a German-European Muslim

~ Cultural Chronicle ~

On September 10, 2011, at 6:00 PM, the Albanian Center for Oriental Studies (ACFOS) organized a seminar entitled: "Dr. Murad Hofmann and his life as a German-European Muslim", held at the main hall of the Albanian National Historical Museum in Tirana. Part of this seminar was also the presentation of two books written by Dr. Hofmann: "Islam" and "The Quran".

A great number of religious, cultural, scientific, academic, diplomatic, and community representatives attended this event.

At the beginning of the event, Mr. Ermir Hoxha, journalist and presenter of the seminar, read out loud the special greeting sent by Dr. Hofmann to the seminar attendees, where, among others, he says:

"I am considered as a German-European Muslim. However, if I was to be precise, such a person does not exist. That is because all Muslims, wherever they are, and whatever language they speak, belong to the Muslim Ummah, one and only. All Muslims, in all over the world, are united in the one and only God, Allah, believe in the same prophet, Muhammad, and follow the same book, the Quran."

The presenters in this seminar were:

1. Dr. Jashar Demiri, professor of psychology at Albanian University in Tirana-Albania, who spoke in general about the works of doctor Murad Hofmann in Albanian and their impact on the Albanian society. He also commented on the value of these books, where he especially congratulated the last two books.

2. Besnik Mustafaj (former minister of foreign affairs of Albania), president of the Albanian Forum for the Alliance of Civilization (AFALC), who talked about the life of Dr. Murad Hofmann and about his visions and ideas expressed in his books that have been translated into Albanian and for a more active cooperation between the different religious and cultural communities that live in Europe, where he gave Albania a special role. The interpretation of Dr. Murad Hoffman's viewpoints by Mr. Mustafaj was very much liked and applauded by the attendees.

3. Ermal Bega, Executive Director of ACFOS-Albania, who, as the translator of Dr. Hofmann's books from English to Albanian, gave a summary of the content of the latest two books and their effect on the multi-faith, multi-cultural societies of Europe, where Albania is also part. Mr. Bega also mentioned his experiences thru direct contact with Dr. Murad Hofmann and revealed that he would soon take a quick trip to Germany to personally meet Dr. Hofmann and conduct an interview with him.*

Later on, the attendees expressed gratitude for the organization of this seminar and discussed the two new books and their contents. Among the guests who spoke a few words of salutation, was also Mr. Kreshnik Osmani.

A special thank you note went to two of our compatriots who live in Italy, Mr. Eris Pirra and Mrs. Anita Braka, who contributed towards the publishing of these two books.

At the conclusion of the event, a cocktail was held at the reception area of the National Historical Museum, where the guests further discussed the content of this historical event.

We must add that the cultural scientific magazine for oriental studies "URA", published by ACFOS-Albania, has undertaken to publish an article by Dr. Murad Hofmann in each of its issues.

Murad Hofman, who is 80 years old this year, is the example of a man who doesn’t carry his belief as a family heritage and neither as a result of tough existential circumstances. At a certain point in his life, he has chosen with his totally free will to be a Muslim. Better said, he has felt a Muslim in spirit. In this sense, his personal spiritual journey is an experience whose value surpasses Hofman as a person.

Fortunately for those who want to study Islam, be they Muslim or not, Murad Hofman is a gentleman who has studied at Harvard University and the Munich School of Law. He has then worked for half a century as a diplomat, until during the last decade of his career he was appointed as a high representative to NATO and as the German Ambassador to Algeria and Morocco.

His extremely wide erudition, his rare life experience in Europe, America, and Africa, his equally rare experience as a diplomat, and his rich experience in the two large monotheistic world religions, Christianity at first, then Islam, allow his writings on Islam to be honest, rich in content, and with a clear and understandable style for all the free citizens of this world, be it for those who read him to better understand the Prophet’s teachings so as to feel happier in their faith, or for those who read him simply for cultural and intellectual reasons. With his writings, Murad Hofman does a great service to both his faith and the global initiative for the dialog between civilizations.

From the speech of Mr. Besnik Mustafaj in this seminar

Translated from Albanian:

Armir TARAJ

Taken from “URA” magazine, Issue #7, Fall-Winter 2011, Tirana-Albania.

---

* This trip to Germany was undertaken two weeks later.

Muslim Albania - ألبانيا المسلمة - AlJazeera 2010 (Full)

MUSLIM ALBANIA - ألبانيا المسلمة - ALJAZEERA 2010 (Full DOCUMENTARY)

Since the fall of the communist regime Albania has been run as a parliamentary democracy and has been developing a western market economy.
The majority of the population are Muslims (about 75%), while the rest are Orthodox, Catholic and seven other religions.
In Albania, talking about Islam and Islamic identity is a highly sensitive area and affects all aspects of society (social, political, economic etc).

Title: Muslim Albania
Genre: Documentary
Duration: 52 minutes
Language: Albanian - Arabic
Location: Albania
Executive Producer: Domino Film ©, Rome-Italy
Production: Al Jazeera Documentary Channel 2010 ©
Direction: Mohamed KENAWI, mkenawi@domino-film.it
Camera: Antonino CERAVOLO
Coordinator of the documentary in Albania: Ermal BEGA
Translator from Albanian to Arabic: Azem XHELADINI
Scenarist: Mohamed KENAWI

La divisione dei premi per i vincitori di AIITC 2010

Ermal BEGA

CRONACA CULTURALE

~ La divisione dei premi per i vincitori di AIITC 2010 ~

La sera del 13 giugno 2011, al Hotel “Sheraton”, sala  “Iliria”,  in presenza di diverse personalità,  quelle albanese e straniere,  l’Istituto Albanese del Pensiero e Civiltà Islamica,  sotto gli auspici del Ministero del Turismo, Cultura, Gioventù e dello Sport ha organizzato per il quinto anno consecutivo la cerimonia di annunciare i vincitori del "Premio AIITC 2010" per le categorie:

• Il miglior libro nel campo della scienza e della cultura islamica

• Il miglior traduttore dell'anno, per il libro nel campo della scienza, della cultura e dell'arte islamica, in lingua albanese

• Il più bel paesaggio fatto dai pittori albanesi

• La migliore creatività dei giovani in prosa e poesia con la tema: "La bellezza nello spirito e nella vita"

Quest’attività è stata diretta da Qani Sulku e Daniela Fagu.

Ha dato l'inizio alla serata il direttore di AIITC,  Ramiz Zekaj, e poi  ha preso la parola il rappresentante del Ministero del Turismo, Cultura, Gioventù e dello Sport, Ermir Nika.

Ramiz Zekaj, tra l’altro ha citato: "Attraverso il Premio AIITC, il nostro istituto vuole trasmettere il modo migliore della cultura e della civiltà islamica".

Dopo un po’, Elinor Butka, ha suonato con il suo toolkit Ney alcuni brani musicali.

In seguito è cominciata la ceremonia della distribuzione dei premi.

La prima categoria è stata la proclamazione dei vincitori per il miglior libro dell’anno 2010 nel campo della scienza, della cultura e dell'arte islamica. Questa categoria è stata condotta dal professor Xhevat Lloshi. 

I premi per la categoria sono stati divisi su questi autori e libri:

Al primo posto: Qemajl Morina con il libro “Glosar i nocioneve fetare”, (Glossario dei nozioni Religiosi)

Al secondo posto: Arian Kadiu con il libro “Dibra e Madhe dhe një vështrim mbi Dibrën e Vogël”( "La Grande Dibra e una panoramica della Dibra Minore")

Al terzo posto: (erano due vincitori) a) Bardhyl Fico con il libro “Anamorfoza e mesazhit të madh” ( Anamorfoza del grande messaggio)  e b) Adnan Silajdźić  con il libro “Muslimanët në kërkim të një identiteti” (I musulmani alla ricerca di un'identità - tradotto in albanese da Ermal Bega e Klodiana Smajlaj.

I vincitori dei premi per la categoria della migliore traduzione e del miglior traduttore:

Al primo posto: Oriol Guni per la traduzione del libro “Kryqëzatat në syrin e arabëve” (Le crociate agli occhi degli arabi).

Al secondo posto: Ferid Hafizi per la traduzione del libro “Islami politik dhe e ardhmja e tij” (L'islam politico e il suo futuro).

I vincitori dei premi per i più bei dipinti della categoria dell’arte visiva, con il presidente della giuria Sadik Kasen, sono stati:

Al primo posto: Skënder Kamberi

Al secondo posto: Sadik Kasa

Alla fine, i vincitori dei premi per la creatività dai giovani, in prosa e poesia con la tema "La bellezza nello spirito e nella vita", con  il presidente della giuria Arian Kadiu, sono stati:

Al primo posto: Elida Rustemi

Al secondo posto: Visar Hyseni

Al terzo posto: Elida Gjerani

Dopo, il musicista Elinor Butka ci ha accompagnato di nuovo con i suoni belli del suo toolkit Ney. Alla fine per i partecipanti è stato preparato un cocktail.

Tradotto dal albanese:

Anita BRAKA

Il Giorno Mondiale della Diversità Culturale per il Dialogo e lo Sviluppo

Ermal BEGA

Tirana-Albania

CRONACA CULTURALE

~ Il Giorno Mondiale della Diversità Culturale per il Dialogo e lo Sviluppo ~

In occasione della Giornata Mondiale della Diversità Culturale per il Dialogo e lo Sviluppo, che ufficialmente è stato designato il giorno 21 maggio, il 25 maggio 2011, alle 18.30, il Forum Albanese per l'Alleanza delle Civiltà (AFALC) in collaborazione con la Fondazione Euro-Mediterranea Anna Lindh, presso i locali dell'Hotel Tirana International, sala Abreht, hanno organizzato un incontro con l'argomento “Le culture parlano”.

Questo incontro è stato parte di una catena delle attività su lo stesso argomento svolto contemporaneamente in tutti i paesi della regione del Mediterraneo.

In quest'attività sono stati invitati alti funzionari di varie comunità religiose in Albania, quella musulmana (Haxhi Lika), bektashi (Edmond Brahimaj), ortodossa (Sonila Dedja) e cattolica (Lorenc Stojani).

Altrettanto in questo evento sono stati invitati anche i membri della comunità religiosa evangelica, della comunità rom (Marsela Avxhiu) e della società civile (Ermal Bega).

Gli interlocutori sul tavolo rotondo in cui si erano riuniti e con la presenza di un pubblico vario, hanno scambiato opinioni ed esperienze portate dagli ambienti culturali di provenienza, pronunciando che questa diversità è un bene prezioso per la nostra società.

Ermal Bega, Direttore Esecutivo del Centro Albanese per gli Studi Orientali (il centro fa parte della rete Anna Lindh Foundation in Albania), come rappresentante della società civile, ha parlato sulle esperienze della storia dell'umanità in connessione con la coesistenza di diverse religioni e culture nella regione mediterranea, fornendo un esempio per un futuro migliore, come deve esistere la comprensione e la convivenza tra religioni e culture diverse in Albania.

Tra gli elementi citati nel suo discorso più efficace e rilevante è stato la menzione di uno degli eventi più luminosi nella storia del mondo, quando il famoso guerriero Saladino Ejjub, al termine della guerra, a causa della sua giustizia, i dominatori Cristiani ed Ebrei dopo che gli hanno dato le chiavi della città di Gerusalemme a Saladino, hanno dichiarato: "Solo voi, con una tale giustizia, potette governare un paese con tre religioni divine, Ebraismo, Cristianesimo e Islam".

Questa storia è stata raccontata in modo che la giustizia e la convivenza tra fedi e culture diverse, di qualsiasi società religiosa sia, deve essere in nome di principi religiosi e di giustizia, a servire poi a una vita migliore compresa nella comunità.

Al termine dell'attività, i partecipanti hanno visitato una mostra di oggetti e cibi tradizionali, artigianato artistico fatta da donne di diverse comunità religiose, organizzato nel quadro del progetto “Le culture parlano”.

All’incontro non è mancato per certo la presentazione di alcuni dolci e cibi tradizionali delle famiglie musulmane albanesi, preparati dalle signore Esmeralda Çaça e Rezarta Alla.

Un ringraziamento speciale, il direttore esecutivo del Centro Albanese di Studi Orientali ha inviato alle ragazze musulmane, Besjana Dani, Erblina Sezairi e Suada Hajredinaj, che hanno partecipato a questa attività, le quale dopo l’incontro hanno discusso vari problemi con i loro compatrioti di altre comunità religiosi e culturali, a vantaggio di una migliore comprensione interreligiosa e interculturale in Albania.Ascolta

Trascrizione fonetica

L'Albania è un meraviglioso esempio di armoniosa convivenza fra le due maggiori comunità religiose, quello Musulmano e quel Cristiano (Ortodossi e Cattolici).

"Questo prezioso patrimonio deve essere sostenuto con forza da tutte le parti attive della società albanese", ha citato uno dei partecipanti dell'attività.

Tradotto da albanese:

Anita BRAKA

"URA" magazine, Spring/Summer 2011, No. 6

CULTURAL-SCIENTIFIC MAGAZINE

FOR ORIENTAL STUDIES

4th year, 2011            No. 6

PUBLISHED BY:

“ALBANIAN CENTER FOR ORIENTAL STUDIES”

attend:

Albanology

Balkanology

Orientalism

Architecture

Archivism

Civilization

History

Philosophy

Linguistics

Literature

Moral

Art

Science

Culture

Notable Personalities

Sociology, etc.

  

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Dr. Edward SAID

The language of the pople or of the scholars

2. Nuredin AHMETI

Hasan Kaleshi and the Albanian historiography

3. M. Shahid ALAM

The predatory Orientalism

4. Roald HYSA

The literature of the Islamic realm       

5. Agim BACELLI

King Farouk, the end without glory of the Albanians in Egypt

6. Dr. Murad W. HOFMANN

Islam and Racism

7. Emil LAFE

The Oriental word and world in the Albanian national poetry

8. Mr. sc. Sadik MEHMETI

The translation and commentary of Juzz “Amma” by Mehmet ef. Salihu

9. Skerdi MAHMUTAJ

Persepolis

10. Nuha ARNAUTI

Arabic literature          

11. Dr. Genciana ABAZI-EGRO

The histori of the word bejtexhi (beyteci)

12. Ramadan SHKODRA

Ali Efendi Jakupi

13. Dr. Muhamed MUFAKU-ARNAUTI

The Albanian emigration in the countries of Sham and their contributions...   

14. Müge İPLIKÇI

The bee

Poems

1. Hafiz Ali KORÇA

Mourning on the janaza of Dervish Hima

2. Fahredin SHEHU

Me and Firdaus

3. Halil XHIBRAN

On Marriage

Invitation to collaborate

ISSN 2222-8381

Published by:

"ALBANIAN CENTER FOR ORIENTAL STUDIES"

P.O.Box 8203

Tirana-Albania

www.acfos-albania.org

E-mail: uramagazine@gmail.com

A journey to the land of the ancestors

Ermal BEGA

A JORNEY TO THE LAND OF THE ANCESTORS*

(Special Report)

He has grown up in an Arab environment, surrounded by Arab traditions. He knew about his Albanian background because his name indicated it and he had heard this from his parents, but he had never thought that he would one day step on the land of his ancestors. He hadn’t been able to learn from his parents or relatives about the exact place of his origin, but this didn’t stop him from wanting to travel to any Albanian land that he could. These were the words of Amer Arnaout, an Albanian from Lebanon, who has been living in Germany together with his family for 10 years.

This very special family of Albanians visited Albania between the dates of 12 and 15 July, 2010. Amer, together with his wife, Nadja Arnaout, and their three children, Muhammad, Jusuf, and Sara, landed for the first time in Albania.

After receiving the Arnaout family in Shkodra, where they came by car from Germany, we accompanied them to Tirana, and on the way we would describe for them the places we’d see so they could have a general idea about the areas they were seeing. When we arrived in Tirana, we let them settle down at a hotel, and that evening we all went out for dinner and coffee.

The following day, we went to get them at the hotel early in the morning. We had planned that during the first day of their three-day stay, we would visit the old city of Kruja, where we visited the old Bazaar and Mosque at the center of the city (the bazaar, mosque, and aqueduct where all built during the Islamic civilization erected during the Ottoman Empire which has left many traces in Kruja and other Albanian cities). Then we traveled to Durres where we had lunch and coffee by the seaside. There we saw the big mosque of Durrës at the center of the city, on top of a small hill. It is interesting to note that during the Ottoman Empire, and during the entire Islamic Civilization in general, every city had a large mosque and a bazaar at the center of the city, alongside the other governmental institutions located there, and the same thing occurred in Albania as well.

After our long stay by the beach of Durrës spent in interesting conversations, we left for Tirana before Maghrib time. We went to the center mosque of Et’hem Bey, where we prayed Maghrib. We then accompanied our guests to their hotel so they could rest, and we met again for dinner. After dinner we went for a coffee at one of the nice Cafes on the Dajti mountain, so our guests could enjoy the quiet and pictorial nature of Tirana in the evening. Late in the evening we returned home to rest, so we could meet the following day in the morning.

We met at around 8 am in the morning and decided to go get breakfast at a fast-food place owned by a Syrian friend, where we enjoyed the famous Syrian shawarma. While having breakfast we discussed the idea of going to visit Kosova, but we felt that we would get delayed and tired from the journey, and considering the short period of their trip, we decided not to go, and so we spent the day touring Tirana instead, and seeing things up close. During our conversations we discussed the origin of the Arnaout in the Orient, and their lives there and in Albania.

The following day in the morning the Arnaout family had to get ready to leave Tirana and Albania and travel a long way to Beirut, Lebanon, where their relatives were expecting them. They now had something to tell their relatives about Albania and the Albanians, because they had now “touched” them by hand. They expressed the fact that visiting Albania had been their most happy moment during their very long trip.

At the moment of departure, they expressed their desire that during the summer vacations of the following year, they would like to visit Albania again for a longer period, so we could all go and visit the Albanian lands in Kosova and Macedonia.

Their first visit to Albania was a great and important step so that in the future many more Arnaouts (Albanians) who live in the Orient can come and visit us.

Translated from Albanian:

Armir TARAJ

---

* This article in published in “URA” magazine, no. 5, Autumn/Winter, 2010, Tirana-Albania. This magazine is published by Albanian Center for Oriental Studies in Tirana-Albania.

www.acfos-albania.org & acfos_albania@yahoo.com

"URA" magazine, Autumn/Winter 2009, No. 2 (5)

CULTURAL-SCIENTIFIC MAGAZINE

FOR ORIENTAL STUDIES

PUBLISHED BY:

“ALBANIAN CENTER FOR ORIENTAL STUDIES”

attend:

Albanology

Balkanology

Orientalism

Architecture

Archivism

Civilization

History

Philosophy

Linguistics

Literature

Moral

Art

Science

Culture

Notable Personalities

Sociology, etc.

Special issue about the Arnaouts (Albanians) living in the Orient.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PREFACE (On the occasion of this exclusive issue abort the Albainans living in the Orient)

1. Huseyin ABIVA

Islam in Albania

2. Dr. Edward SAID

The treason of the intellectuals

THE ARNAOUTS (ALBANIANS) IN THE ARAB-ISLAMIC WORLD

1. Arnaouts (The Albanians living in the Arab-Islamic world) and their origin

2. The scholar Shaikh Albani and Abd al-Kadr Arnaout

3. Abd al-Lateef ARNAOUT

4. Aisha ARNAOUT

5. Ghina ARNAOUT

Nadim ARNAOUT

6. Nuha ARNAOUT

Jordan - A country to discover

7. Dr. Muhammad M. ARNAOUT

8. Dr. Muhammad ARNAOUT

Imam Vehbi Ismaili

9. Dr. Muhammad ARNAOUT

Ivo Andriç and the young Umar Pasha

10. Dr. Muhammad ARNAOUT

Sayings among Persian, Albanian and Arabic language

11. Nehat ISLAMI

Albanians in the liberation war of Syria

THE ARNAOUTS (ALBANIANS) IN OTTOMAN EMPIRE

1. Dr. Dritan EGRO

Arnaouts in the Ottoman Empire

2. Ledian CIKALLESHI

Hasan Tahsin - The Albanian scientist, philosopher and patriot in the Ottoman Empire

3. Ledian CIKALLESHI

Mehmed Akif Ersoy - The Albanian who wrote the Turkish national anthem

THE ARNAOUTS (ALBANIANS) IN BOSNIA AND HERCEGOVINA

1. Elvedina ARNAUT

The Arnaouts (Albanians) in Bosnia and Hercegovina

ABSTRACTS OF PUBLISHED ARTICLES ABOUT THE ARNAOUTS (ALBANIANS) LIVING IN THË ORIENT (Wrote by Ali Olloni)

1. The Albanian woman and the Palestinian man

2. Today I am just a poet

3. Clots from the exile life

4. Azize Maxhari and the gravestone

5. “When you lost your tongue - you will lose your home”

6. The poet of the railway

7. The spiritual storms in Arab countries

8. Attempts to open an Albanian club

9. Puna-mamurë, dembelia-harabë

10. How do the Albanian women live and think in Syria

11. The grandfather and his grandson

12. The ambassador of the Albanian culture to Arabs

13. The tears from the “Chekhov” of the Arabs

INTERVIEWS

1. Exclusive interview with our compatriot in Cairo-Egypt, Mr. Amer Bektashi

2. An interview with the Imam Wahbi Sulaiman Gavotchi, Damascus-Syria

ORIENTAL POEMS

1. Nuha ARNAOUT

Flagrant roses

2. Barakat Latif ARNAOUT

The poem of the emigrant ones

Reportage

A jorney to his ancestry country

Photos

New publications

Summary (in English)

Invitation to collaborate

Published by:

"ALBANIAN CENTER FOR ORIENTAL STUDIES"

P.O.Box 8203

Tirana-Albania

www.acfos-albania.org

E-mail: uramagazine@gmail.com

SUMMARY

Many of us have heard about the Arnauts (Arnaouts), or the Albanians who live in the Orient from centuries ago, but, unfortunately, very few of us are informed about them, their life and traditions, their social influence in the countries in which they live, or their contributions to those countries.

The term Arnaut or Arnaout was used for the first time during the times of the Ottoman Empire, when Albanians were known as Arnaut while Albania was called Arnautluk.

There are different claims as to the origin of the word Arnaut, but it would take a separate article to discuss about this matter.

The use of the term Arnaut to identify the Albanian origin of people living in the lands of the Orient increased significantly after the weakening and the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, when, inspired by rising nationalism, the different nations under this empire began forming their own states based on ethnicity or religion. During this time, the Albanian Muslims in these lands, who were not included within the new Albanian state, started taking on the name Arnaut to demonstrate their Albanian origin.

It is interesting to note that, besides the Albanian Muslims (who comprised the majority of the Albanian people), this name was also adopted by Albanian Christians, mostly Catholics, to show their Albanian origins. For example, besides the Muslims of Albanian background who are found in great numbers in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Egypt, Sudan, Yemen, Libya, Algeria, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia etc., entire Christian families of Albanian origin can still be found, primarily in Lebanon, where their history began with the appointment of Albanian Catholic Vaso Pasha by the Ottoman Empire as governor of Lebanon. Vaso Pasha brought with him Albanian Christian families who decided to live in Lebanon and who, to this day, carry the surname Arnaut (Arnaouts) with great respect as an indicator of their Albanian origins. According to latest research, we have also encountered several Orthodox Christian families who live in Ukraine and carry the surname Arnaut.

While most of the Albanians who live in the Orient carry the last name Arnaout as the identifier of their Albanian nationality, many other families in the Arab countries and in Turkey carry other surnames, many of which are names of places in Albania or names of well-known Albanian families. Here we can mention the al-Albani family in Jordan, from which the famous Muslim scholar Nasiruddin al-Albani came forth (from Shkodra), the other famous Muslim scholar Wahbi Sulaiman Gavotchi (in Albanian, Vehbi Sulejman Gavoçi) (also from Shkodra) etc. Among the families that carry a last name related to their place of origin is the large Shkodra family in Lebanon.

Among the most well-known Arnaut (Albanians) in the oriental world we can note: Muslim scholars Abd al-Kadr Arnaout (Abdulkadër Arnauti) and Shuayb Arnaout (Shuajb Arnauti), the famous writers Ma’ruf Arnaout (Mar’uf Arnauti) and Dr. Abd al-Lateef Arnaout (Abdulatif Arnauti), the famous writer and historian Dr. Muhammad M. Arnaout (Muhamed Mufaku-Arnauti), the writer and poet Aisha Arnaout (Aishe Arnauti), the activist for opening lay schools in Lebanon Nadim Arnaout (Nadim Arnauti), the famous actor from Damascus Yasin Arnaut (Jasin Arnauti), the writer and teacher Shawkat Gavotchi (Shefqet Gavoçi) etc.

In addition, most of the Albanians who live in the Orient are well-educated, have finished advanced studies, and hold high positions in the societies in which they live.

In this context, by taking into consideration the importance and great role that Albanians (Arnaouts) have played and still play in the oriental countries, the editorial board of the Cultural-Scientific Magazine for Oriental Studies “URA” decided to dedicate this exclusive issue to them, the Arnaouts.

In this regard, we can’t afford no to thank those that have contributed with their strong efforts and passion into the realization of this issue. They are: the Arnaout authors of exclusive articles for this issue of the magazine, Nuha Arnaout, Ghina Arnaout, and Elvedina Arnaut; other authors who contributed with exclusive articles for this issue, Dr. Dritan Egro and Ledian Cikalleshi; translators Rezarta Saliaj, Suela Dibra, Armir Taraj, and Ardita Kovaçi; the interviewer from Cairo Indrit Lita, and many others who supported us in different ways.

May God reward you all. Amin!

Respectfully,

The editorial board of the Cultural-Scientific Magazine “URA”.

Tirana-Albania

Translated from Albanian:

Armir TARAJ