TIRANA, Nov 22 /ATA/ Minister of Education, Ogerta Manastirliu, attended on Friday the launch of the “Great Dictionary of the Albanian Language,” which she described as the fruit of long, careful, and tireless work by Albanian scholars, lexicographers, and linguists, under the stewardship of the Academy of Sciences. 

In her speech on the second day of the National Assembly for the Albanian Language, which was held in Tirana, Manastirliu stated that “The Day of the Albanian Alphabet is an important historical and cultural day.” 

“Today, on November 22nd, we pay tribute to one of the most significant moments in our national history, the Congress of Manastir, the event that established the alphabet of our mother tongue and laid the foundations for cultural and national unity. The Congress of Manastir, held in 1908, was a visionary act of the National Renaissance, a clear expression of the will of the Albanians to preserve their identity and strengthen the ties among us as a nation. Today, 116 years later, we continue to fulfil that mission through works such as this Great Dictionary of the Albanian Language that we are presenting today, a linguistic, scientific, and cultural monument that adds a new chapter to our linguistic history,” said the Minister. 

“It is more than a treasure of words. It is an inventory of our expressive culture and a testimony of the journey of the Albanian language through time and space. With over 120,000 words, this dictionary represents a living archive of our linguistic heritage and a powerful tool for researchers, students, and every user of the Albanian language,” she said. 

She emphasized that when globalization and digitalization have a profound impact on cultures and languages globally, this dictionary serves as a shield to protect the Albanian language’s purity and richness. 

“The Great Dictionary of the Albanian Language is a cornerstone of this ongoing effort. It preserves and develops what the National Renaissance figures called the ‘free Albanian speech,’ a mission that today has taken on new dimensions in service of future generations. The creation of this dictionary is the result of decades of work by a dedicated team of scholars who have compiled not only the everyday lexicon of Albanian but also rare forms, dialects, and historical nuances. This dictionary is not just a tool for communication, but also a source for further scientific research, a roadmap for teaching, and a safeguard for preserving our identity in times of challenges,” stated the minister. 

She stated that this assembly and the dictionary serve as proof of how linguists, scholars, and our academic institution can unite to create something that will leave a lasting legacy for future generations. The Great Dictionary of the Albanian Language stands as a monument to the past, a guide for the present, and a source of hope for the future.