The “Assembly of Dibra” was convened in the city of Dibra, on the initiative of the Committee of the Albanian League for both Dibra and especially its chairman, Iljaz paşe Dibrës (Qoku). Abdyl Frashëri participated in the special assembly as a representative of the Albanian League for the whole of Tuscany (Ioannina province). The Assembly approved a resolution in the form of a memorandum, drafted by Abdyl Frashërt himself. The resolution of the Dibra Assembly contained the same demands that were laid out in the program of the Istanbul Committee and that were included in the resolution of the meeting of Dibra on October 14, 1878, summarized in five points: the formation of the Province of Albania, its equipping with Albanian officials , the development of education in the Albanian language, the implementation of reforms by the Great Assembly, the use of a large part of the budget for the advancement of education and world constructions. The resolution also stated that the demands would be presented to the Sublime Porte within 1 month by a delegation composed of prominent Albanian personalities, who would receive written consent from all Albanian kazatas and sanjaks. The resolution emphasized the determination of the Albanian people to ensure the fulfillment of these demands. The resolution was presented to the Sublime Porte in early February 1879, but it ignored it. Before the meeting of the assembly, Abdyl Frashëri called on the residents of Dibra to put aside revenge and direct their weapons only against external enemies who were endangering the country’s independence. (In the photo: Delegates participating in the Assembly of Dibra, 1878.)
Text: The history of the Albanian people – Vol. II , Academy of Sciences of Albania, “Toena”, Tirana, 2002, page 171-173.
Photo: © http://rrugaearberit.com/2019/09/07/kongresi-i-dibres-kongresi-i-zgjimit-te-ndergejjes-sone-kombetare/
Graphic processing: AHCF
