On the occasion of the 110th anniversary of the remarkable figure in Albanian language and culture, Vedat Kokona, the National Library of Albania and the National Center for Books and Reading have inaugurated an exhibition titled “Vedat Kokona on his 110th birthday”.
The event saw the presence of notable figures including Piro Misha, the Director of the National Library, Alda Bardhyli, the Director of the National Center for Books and Reading, as well as translators and writers Diana Çuli and Prof. Edmond Tupja.
They collectively underscored the importance of such activities in preserving and transmitting the legacy and contributions of figures like Vedat Kokona to the younger generations in Albanian culture. The gathering included family members, friends, writers, translators, researchers, educators, and enthusiasts of literature and culture.
The exhibition’s primary goal is to trace Vedat Kokona’s creative journey and his role as a writer, translator, and lexicographer.
Kokona’s journey began at the age of 16 when his works started appearing in magazines and newspapers of the 1920s and 1930s, including “Iliria”, “Ora”, “Vatra”, “Diana”, “Minerva”, “Përpjekja shqiptare”, and more.
Notably, his first poem, “Elfet”, was published in 1929 in the newspaper “Ora”, and his novel “The Last Prayer” (Lutja e fundit) was published in “Vatra” in 1933, earning him the first literary prize.
His literary journey continued with the publication of his initial works such as “From Tirana to Stockholm” (Nga Tirana në Stokholm, 1935), “Lights and Shadows” (Dritë dhe hije, 1939), and “April 7” (Shtatë prilli, 1943).
His first venture into translation brought the works of renowned French writer Victor Hugo into Albanian, as published in the newspaper “Illyria” in 1934.
This contribution paved the way for the translation of several important names in world literature into Albanian, including Victor Hugo, Pierre Corneille, Voltaire, La Fontaine, Honoré de Balzac, Charles Dickens, William Shakespeare, Jean-Baptiste Racine, Ivan Turgenev, and many others.
The exhibition also highlights his valuable contributions in the field of lexicography, particularly through the creation of bilingual French-Albanian dictionaries, which are considered fundamental resources for learning the French language.
The exhibition will be open to the public for several days, offering an opportunity to explore Vedat Kokona’s enduring legacy in Albanian culture.
