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Description
The National Conference on the Formation of the Albanian People, their Language and Culture, held in Tirana from July 2-5, 1982, was organized by the Academy of Sciences of the PSR of Albania in collaboration with the University of Tirana and other scientific institutions. The conference, opened by Prof. Stefanaq Pollo, featured the three reports present in this volume and 45 papers presented by historians, linguists, archaeologists, ethnographers, and foreign scholars. Attendees included leaders from the Party of Labour of Albania and state. The event focussed on the genesis of the Albanian people, emphasizing Illyrian-Albanian continuity, the autochthony of Albanians, and the formation of the Albanian nation during the Middle Ages. It highlighted the Marxist-Leninist outlook on historical and social phenomena and the teachings of Comrade Enver Hoxha, underscoring the significant role of the masses in historical progress.
The conference celebrated the achievements of Albanian science under the support of the socialist state, particularly in Albanology, contributing to Balkan and European studies. It opposed imperialist ideologies that undermine national traditions and the ethnic-cultural identity of peoples. The conference affirmed the Illyrian-Albanian continuity and the autochthonous nature of Albanians in their historical territories, countering common anti-Albanian political views. The event concluded with a closing speech by Prof. Aleks Buda and identified future research directions to address unresolved issues. This volume includes the three main reports and summaries of selected papers.