UT today marked the 27th anniversary of the beginning of first lectures

By paying homage to the bust of the martyr of Albanian education, Abdylselam Emini and founder’s grave of the first Rector of UT, Prof.Dr.Fadil Sulejmani, University of Tetova started today the activities to mark the 27^th anniversary of the first lectures.
On February 17, 1995, in the village of Poroj in Tetovo, Albanian professors and students startedthe first lectures in the Albanian language.
Therefore, the leaders of the University of Tetova, together with students, professors, and also other citizens, today visited the Historical Museum of UT in the village of Poroj, where they have closely seen the originality of the classes, where the first lectures of UT began, the archive and the mission that this historic hearth carries.
Afterwards homage were also made in front of the monument “Flame of memory” and the statue of Prof.Dr.Fadil Sulejmani, to continue with solemn Academy dedicated to February 17, the day of the beginning of the first lectures. In this academy was reminded the past of the University of Tetova, based on the resistance of the Albanian population to the foundation of the University in 1994, holding the first lectures in 1995, the progress over the years, challenges and difficulties that UT had until the time of its officialization in 2004, as well as other educational and scientific developments until today.
In this academy attended a large number of personalities, including university rectors, vice-rectors, deans, senators, professors and students, Leader of Democratic Union for Integration Ali Ahmeti, First Deputy Prime Minister of North Macedonia Artan Grubi, the Minister of Education and Science, Jeton Shaqiri, together with the Vice Minister  Lulzim Aliu, Leader of Islamic Religious Community, Reis Ul Ulema, Shaqir Effendi Fetahi, the Mufti of the Muftiate of Tetova, Prof. Dr. Qani Nesimi, former mayors of Tetovo and Gostivar, Shaqir Aliti and Enver Zenku, representatives of the central and local government, as well as many other family members, who in 1994 had left their homes for classrooms of the University of Tetova.
The academy was opened by the Vice Rector for International Cooperation of UT, Prof. Dr. Shefik Shehu. He said that February 17, beyond a historical date for higher education in the Albanian language, marks an extraordinary turning point in function of the realization of the fundamental rights of Albanians for education in their mother tongue. “At the head of this project, as educational as it is historical, was the founder and the first Rector, Prof. Dr. Fadil Sulejmani, who lives and will live forever in the most beautiful dream of every student, intellectual and citizen of our country. The contribution and educational and scientific activity of Professor Fadil Sulejmani remains incomparable and extraordinary in the period when he acted. In this solemn academy, let’s remember Prof. Dr. Fadil Sulejmani, on the ninth anniversary of his death, let us express our respect for the sacrifice, valuable contribution in the implementation of the major Enlightenment project – the University of Tetova, the most necessary project for the Albanians of North Macedonia. The first beginnings of this institution, as it is known, were extremely difficult, when we consider the obstacles from the government at that time, the anti-democratic and discriminatory attitude towards education in the Albanian language and the perspective of the Albanian society in the Republic of North Macedonia.
However, our nation with its determination and generosity lined up behind the initiative of the intellectuals of that time, who with the manliness and vision of the renaissance, realized one of the greatest projects known to our national history of the most recent period.
So, 27 years ago, on February 17, 1995, with the emblematic order of the historical Rector, Prof. Dr. Fadil Sulejmani, that “we want a pencil and a notebook, we do not want violence”, the first lectures of the University of Tetova started in the village of Poroj. On the same day, in the village of Mala Recica, the beginning of the lectures was accompanied with violence by the police, that exercised over the inhabitants and the citizens, who had come out in defense of the University and Albanian education. As a result of police violence, unfortunately there were many injured and prisoners, among whom the rector was imprisoned, Prof. Fadili Sulejmani and other leaders of the University, while in those events, Abdylselam Emini fell a martyr of Albanian education. ” – said Prof. Dr. Shefik Shehu.

In this academy, Minister of Education and Science, Jeton Shaqiri spoke on behalf of the Government of Republic of North Macedonia. In his speech he said that thanks to the insistence of foundation of this hearth of education, lectures which started on Februar 17, 1995, 27 years ago in Poroj and Mala Recica, were the initiative of a process that educates generations. Yesterday, as a student of the University of Tetova, today as Minister of Education and Science, I feel extremely happy and lucky. Remembering the sacrifice of Abdylselam Emini, Fadil Sulejmani- first rector of the University of Tetova, all those professors who no longer are alive, dozens of families who offered their homes unconditionally 27 years ago, we have succeeded to enjoy the fruits of their sacrifices and resistance today. Let me congratulate you for the promotion of the Monograph of the University of Tetova, for the period of its creation, from the difficulties of its foundation to the years of its legalization. Today, Albanian education in the country has other dimensions and has reached another stage, and perhaps for today’s students are unimaginable circumstances in which this university was found, and reminders like today just speaks to them and remind us all the weight this university has because of its unique historical journey. Days like this are a story that remind us of the past and make us think about the future, for which without discussion we all have to work on. Although this is not an easy task, every chance should be used to raise Albanian education in the country, to take actions that increase the autonomy of universities, to create new conditions and opportunities for every student, so that they have it easier to face the labor market and why not to be worthy competitors with students of European universities and beyond “- said among others the Minister of Education and Science in our country, Jeton Shaqiri. According to him, the sacrifices made years ago have paved the way for us to enjoy this fundamental right, to make building and quality education of students easier, and the least we can do is use our potential to do the best for future generations. In this academy, also, the Vice Rector for International Coorporation of the University of Tetova, Prof. Dr. Shefik Shehu as well as the Minister of Education and Science, Jeton Shaqiri, express their congratulations to all albanians on the occation of the declaration of Independece of the Republic of Kosovo. On the 27^th anniversary of the first lectures of University of Tetova, was also the promotion of the Monograph of University.