About 80 scholars from Kosovo, Turkey, Montenegro, Albania and Macedonia are participants of the International Balkan Congress "History and Culture of the Balkans" at the Philological Center in the  University of Prishtina in Kosovo which opened on last week, where they discuss topics of culture, history, language, international relations and economics pertaining to the Balkans. 

 

Organized by the University of Prishtina in Kosovo and University of Sakarya-Turkey, this congressional gathering has brought together about 80 scholars from Kosovo, Turkey, Montenegro, Albania and Macedonia. The commencement of the gathering was opened by the Kosovo Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Enver Hoxhaj. According to him, the congressional organization has a lot of importance for Kosovo because of recent changes in the political configuration of the Balkans. "Kosovo's independence has changed the trends of the Balkans", stated Minister Hoxhaj at the opening. Minister Hoxhaj also gave a message to the speakers of the Congress. "It's time to tell the truth for the Balkans; to totally abandon prejudice and present the real situation with many facts evidence," he said.

On the other hand, the event organizer of this congressional convention, Rexhai Oshkyn, representative of the University of Sakarya, confirmed that it is very important that the historical and political developments in the Balkans be viewed and treated from a scientific perspective. "The treatment of historical and cultural topics should not be done with emotions, but with professional and scientific treatment, and this congress has such a goal," stressed Oshkyn.

Meanwhile, according to coordinator of the congressional convention from Prishtina University, Sadat Kuci, this two-day event will bring a new support feed and is beneficial  for science by making vast values in a broader context of treatment. Congress will complete work with the issuance of conclusions and publication of a handbook, which references will be available through Congress.

The first day of the International Balkan Congressional included Lindita Tahiri, a top national linguist who was recommended to present the scholars. She spoke on the use of labeling and stereotyping the "Balkans" and "Western Balkans". According to her, "Western Balkans" was used more on the concept that refers to politics rather than geographical.

Yusuf Osman, historian and director of the Archives of the State Agency of Kosovo, referred to the topic of "Serbian colonization of Kosovo", through which he presented historical documents that speak of the evacuation of Albanians from Sanxhak, Nis to Turkey after the year 1878 of the Berlin Congress.

Some of the scholars on the first day of the congressional convention were Koksal Sahin ("A look at the process of institutional reform in the EU, from the viewpoint of the Lisbon On the second day of this convention, which was Tuesday, scholars from Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro.