By Monika Maric*
Although political relations often cast a shadow on cultural cooperation, cultural exchanges between Serbia and Albania have been in constant growth. Cooperation is primarily based on individual initiatives, where networks of civil society represent the main communication channel
Potential membership in the European Union (EU) is the main foreign policy priority of both Serbia and Albania. In accordance with their European orientation, both Serbia and Albania are willing to prove their commitment to the promotion of regional cooperation. After 2005, Serbia and Albania have signed the following joint documents: agreement on the avoidance of double taxation, agreement on economic and trade cooperation, agreement on cooperation in tourism and several protocols.
Although political relations often cast a shadow on cultural cooperation, cultural exchanges between Serbia and Albania have been in constant growth. Cooperation is primarily based on individual initiatives, where networks of civil society represent the main communication channel. Since 2000, various institutions, art groups, amateur theaters and others, have established cooperation and constant exchange of cultural content. To mention only a few of them, there’s the participation of the Children’s Cultural Center from Belgrade at the Children’s Festival in Durres (October 2007), the 2009 Serbian-Albanian co-production of the “Honeymoon” movie by Serbian director Goran Paskaljevic in cooperation with Genc Permeti from Albania.
The main channels of official cooperation, at the state level, have been established through multilateral initiatives and programs such as the Council of Ministers of Culture of South East Europe (First Round Table: Tourism, Culture and Inter-University Cooperation), Cultural Heritage: The Bridge to a Common Future in the field of culture and cultural heritage established in 2004).
In 2016, the Forum for International Relations of the European Movement in Serbia (IPA) and the Albanian Institute for International Studies (AIIS) launched the project on the Joint Centre for Albania-Serbia Relations, with the support of the Federal Republic of Germany. The cooperation between Serbia and Albania has a strategic importance for the European integration of the Western Balkans. Main obstacles to the establishment of normal and fruitful relations between Albania and Serbia include the lack of knowledge about each other and the lack of opportunity for contact and mutual cooperation. Bearing all this in mind, the Albanian Institute for International Studies initiated the establishment of a joint center that would encourage interaction between experts, journalists, researchers, artists and decision-makers of the two countries. The project will help young people fight against mutual prejudice, pave the way for media cooperation etc.
20th century cultural relations
During the 20th century, Albania-Serbia relations included short periods of cooperation and good neighborly relations. The first official contracts between the National Committee for the Liberation of Yugoslavia (NKOJ) and the Provisional Government of Albania were set on 20 February 1945. For the beginning of cultural support and help by the Yugoslav authorities to a neighbor, it was of great importance Article 5 of the Treaty on Association and Mutual Assistance between Albania and Yugoslavia that insisted on maximizing the development of cultural and economic cooperation.
On July 20, 1946, the Albanian State Choir performed in Rijeka and in Opatija. After that, the stay of the Yugoslav art group during 1947 in Albania lasted for 23 days. During this time, members of the group performed in 17 events and three radio shows. There were also attempts to organize an art exhibition. Cooperation also involved the education of Albanian cultural workers in Yugoslavia, in Zagreb. The Albanian Committee for Culture and Art sought cooperation, and in particular the creation of repertoires (programs and texts for Albanian art institutions), they sought professional literature on theater arts, school programs for music, theater and painting schools. Albanian cultural workers received the greatest help in the development of classical music. For this purpose, the Yugoslav Committee for Culture and Art sent a conductor and music professor Bojan AdamiÄ. At the beginning of May 1947, a mixed choir was established with the association for the cultural cooperation of Albania with Yugoslavia in Tirana. The conductor of the choir was Milo Asic. After 1 July 1948, all interstate agreements were terminated.
Literature
The Department for Albanology (Albanian Studies) at the Faculty of Philology of the University of Belgrade has a long tradition in educating new generations of teachers of Albanian language, literature and culture. According to the latest curriculum or the faculty, each year there are 19 places for the future students at the department. Since 1990, 283 students have been enrolled in this department, with 69 of them having successfully graduated by May 2010. This Faculty has cooperation agreements with the universities of Shkodra and Tirana. Currently, two professors from the University of Shkodra are teaching at the Faculty of Philology as visiting professors. In May 2010, the Department hosted a delegation from the University of Tirana.
Although it has been more than twenty years since diplomatic relations between Serbia and Albania were renewed, and in recent years there were regular visits and meetings between government officials including a cultural cooperation deal, literary cooperation between Serbian and Albanian authors remains at an extremely low level. Literature from Albania available in Serbian remains limited to several old Kadare novels and some isolated translation in anthologies or a “missed” translation from surrounding countries.
On 26 May 2017, the Joint Center for Albanian-Serbian Relations organized the cultural event “Unknown Albanian literature,” dedicated to the Serbian-Albanian literary and cultural cooperation. The aim of this event was to get acquainted with the contemporary literature of Albania, to present the latest translations, and encourage its publication as a comprehensive anthology, as the countries in the region already have. In addition, this meeting was at the same time an opportunity to consider opportunities for broader literary and cultural cooperation between Serbia and Albania. Among the guests from Albania was also Arian Leka, (Durres, 1966), a prominent Albanian poet, essayist and translator, and founder of the influential magazine and cultural club “Poeteka”, which promotes translations and cooperation in the Balkans.
As for the translation from Albanian to Serbian language and vice versa, until now the following books have been translated from Albanian:
Ismail Kadare
The General of the Dead army (1968)
The Siege (1977)
Chronicle in Stone (1979)
The Palace of Dreams (1991)
The Fall of the Stone City (2008)
The Belgrade-based publishing house “KnjiŠ¾evna radionica RaŠ¡ić” has published in Serbian language “Ormar”, a book of essays by writer Arian Leka. The book consists of two main parts: “In search of the lost shirt” and the essay “Born in the Province”. The book, translated by Natalija Š½aba Stojilković and Sabri Halili, is accompanied by a preface by writer Andrej Nikolaidis, one of the most esteemed literary authors of the region.
In 2006, two books from Milovan Djilas were translated into Albanian: “The Unperfect Society: Beyond the New Class” and “The face of totalitarianism.”
Ivo Andric has had his Bosnian (Travnik’s) chronicles (2012) translated into Albanian. It is interesting that the books of Vuk Draskovic, who is a politician, were translated into Albanian language. They include “The Judge” and “The Memoirs of Jesus.”
Two of Milorad Pavic’s books have also been translated into Albanian – Dictionary of the Khazars (2012) and collection of the “Terrible Love Story.”
Albanian publisher Onufri has published the luxury edition of Hazar, while Nikola Sudar did much to bring Serbian literature closer to Albania with the translation of “Terrible Love Stories.” Both books had a solemn promotion at the latest Book Fair in Tirana.
Chief-editor Lidija Kusovac said that the publishing house “Samizdat B92”, which has been operating for 23 years, has paid special attention to books by Albanian authors and is also planning to provide translation of Serbian titles into the Albanian language.
During 2016, in addition to the novel “The Palace of Dreams” of Kadare, they repurchased the copyright for his collection of stories that will soon come out. “Samizdat” has published, following the “Millionaire” novel and essay publications under the title “Ambassador and other Heretic Notes”, another novel by Veton Surroi – “All Love of Marija Gjakoni”.
“Samizdat” also translated and published in Serbian “Sacrifice,” the latest book by Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama on the eve of his 2016 visit to Belgrade. And in Albanian, this publisher translated the first and second autobiography of famous actor Bekim Fehmiu “Brilliant and terrifying”.
“Samizdat B92” also published bilingually, in Serbian and Albanian, the book of Petrit Imami “Serbs and Albanians through the ages”, which demystifies established historical misconceptions about Serbian-Albanian relations.
Filmography
“The Hornet” is a 1998 Serbian drama film directed by GorÄin Stojanovic. The film tells about love between Albanians and Serb women on the eve of the war in Kosovo.
“Besa” (Solemn Promise) is a 2009 Serbian drama film directed by SrÄ‘an Karanović. The film was selected as the Serbian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 83rd Academy Awards, but did not make it to the final shortlist. The film portrays the drama between Azem, an Albanian man, and Lea, a Slovenian woman married to Filip, a Serb. The film speaks about love, the sacred Albanian promise ‘Besa’, as well as the cultural, ethnic, and language barriers in the Balkans. The movie shows how the sacred given word can be stronger than love and temptation.
“Honeymoon” is the first Serbian-Albanian film from 2009. It was directed by Goran Paskaljevic, who also wrote the script along with Genc Permeti. The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival on September 5, 2009, and had its Belgrade premiere in November 2009.
Honeymoon, as the first Serbian-Albanian co-production, at least attempts to demolish self-imposed barriers and unnecessary taboos.
“I honestly believe that the Honeymoon can be an important step in the process of approaching two nations who have been living since forever as neighbors, but who turned their back to each other,” Goran Paskaljevic has told Serbian magazine “Vreme” in an interview.
“Certainly, cultural cooperation with Albania will continue to develop,” he added.
Other sporadic cooperation events include mixed theater performances and classical music in Tirana and in Belgrade.
Cooperation prospects
Future cultural cooperation should continue to be based on individual initiatives, but the governments both in Serbia and Albania have to support and encourage initiatives, events, travel and other exchanges.
Bearing in mind everything that has been done so far in the field of culture, but mostly in the past few years, I believe that cultural cooperation will increase. As we can see, both sides are interested in getting to know the neighborhood literature, so publishing houses are also interested in translating and publishing books. Both sides are interested in movies, theater performance and music (about what I will write on another occasion). Student exchanges should increase, there should be more summer camps and school to overcome prejudice and learn about culture. Young people should be familiar with cultural festivals and events that exist in both countries. The media plays a key role in promoting culture, so both countries should be promoted this way.
*Monika Marić has graduated in Albanian language from the University of Belgrade at the Albanian Language Department of the Faculty of Philology. She is currently doing a “Cultures in dialogue” Master’s at the University of Belgrade. Monika is the third Serbian fellow of the Centre for Albania-Serbia Relations at the Albanian Institute for International Studies (AIIS) in Tirana.
