Artan P쳮aska
apernaska@tiranatimes.com
The two first volumes of the new Albanian Encyclopedic Dictionary (Fjalori Enciklopedik Shqiptar, FESH) are out in print and were promoted on the 26th of June 2009. A third volume, which is expected to be released this autumn, will complete the long-awaited national reference book. Shqip, (26.06.2009), believes the completed dictionary will feature over 7200 entries. Libertas, (30.06.2009), believes the new FESH already carries 7500 entries in the two released volumes. Distinguished figures, either Albanian or foreign, that have their lives intertwined with Albanian history through different times or in different domains will continue to occupy an important place in the encyclopedic opus. 2340 entries will be dedicated to such Albanian history makers or contributors.
The first edition of the FESH was issued in 1985 in one volume, comprising nearly 5000 entries. Edited under the communist regime, FESH reflected an overall ideological outlook and included many “hagiographies” of communist political leaders. The majority of them have fallen out the new dictionary, while the few remaining others are treated without “luster”. The authors have aimed to stick to the facts. “FESH does not make analyses of the featured events and figures, but gives only a factual compilation. In it you will find reflected certain events, and indications of their importance are given without making any comments” – says Dr. Ing. Vilma Proko, scientific secretary of the Center for the Albanian Encyclopedia (Qendra e Enciklopedis롓hqiptare, QESH) and one of the scientific editors of the project. New distinguished figures and events ignored during the communist regime have been added and on the whole the dictionary is updated to recent developments. It reflects “Šnew realities in the Republic of Albania as well as in the whole Albanian world Ţ – says Dr. Ing. Vilma Proko (Jazexhi).
The de-politicization of the encyclopedic reference book made one of the titles of Korrieri, (29.06.2009), an Albanian daily which reminds that it took 24 years for the new dictionary to see the light of publication. Though the dictionary is updated with new elements and new realities up to the year (2008), some of the events which have taken place since the nineties are reported not to have been included. Shqip, quotes the events of the year 1997 and Proko comments that “these are moments that history has not yet clarified and will perhaps belong to future editions”.
The dictionary includes almost 2000 black and white illustrations and a number of color photo pages. After the addition of the third volume of the FESH 2009 in autumn of this year, the editing institutions will begin work on a larger project. Future readers should expect at a few years’ distance a larger and a more extensive reference book. Shqip states that the Academy of Sciences of Albania and the Academy of Sciences of Kosovo have designed the platform for the compilation of an Albanian Encyclopedia.
BOX 1
Until recently the FESH that was edited in 1985 and was issued in one volume comporting nearly 5000 entries has been the only national reference book available in Albania. Regional encyclopedic work has been available since the end of the nineties, like Kuk쳠- An Encyclopedic Regard (Koha, 1999, 259 pages), the Encyclopedia of Delvin롡nd Sarand련Toena, 2002, 428 pages), Elbasan – An Encyclopedia (Sejko, 2004, 715 pages), the Encyclopedia of Tepelen련Morava, 2005, 900 pages), Ku谶렭 An Encyclopedia (Argeta-LMG, 2005, 413 pages), the Encyclopedia of Dukat (Geer, 2005, 1041 pages), the Encyclopedia of Dib철(Albpaper, 2006, Vol. I, 496 pages). New editions and re-editions of these regional encyclopedias keep coming out of print. Last among these publications, Republika, (1.07.2009), informs on the promotion on the 22nd of June 2009, of the Encyclopedia of Kurvelesh (Toena, 2009).
BOX 2
The new Albanian Encyclopedic Dictionary (Fjalori Enciklopedik Shqiptar, FESH, 2009) is the work of the Academy of Sciences of Albania and the Center for the Albanian Encyclopedia (Qendra e Enciklopedis롓hqiptare, QESH). Under the direction of Prof. Emil Lafe, nearly 1100 authors grouped under 21 scientific editorial committees have contributed to the compilation of the Dictionary. The idea of coming up with a revised version of the 1985 FESH was launched 9 years ago. The steering committee thought at that time that a revised edition, de-politicized and updated, should reach readers quickly. But work on the former dictionary, as well as new developments, brought as a final result the edition of a new dictionary with thousands more entries than the former edition and articulated in 3 volumes. Libertas, (30.06.2009) asserts each volume has 1450 pages. The third volume, which completes the set, is expected to come out in the autumn of 2009.
