To honor the late poet Ali Podrimja, AAB College in Prishtina has decided to establish the “Ali Podrimja” award, and for the first and most deserving recipient of this award, the institution has chosen the writer Ismail Kadare. The award will be presented to Kadare tonight at the premises of this institution.
The Rector of AAB College, Lulzim Tafa, said that various awards have previously been given for scientific achievements, sports, and art, but this is the first time for literature.
“The idea for the ‘Ali Podrimja’ award was discussed before the poet’s death, but after his passing, knowing his distinguished creativity, we decided that the literature award would be named ‘Ali Podrimja’,” said Lulzim Tafa for “Zëri.”
He said that a professional jury composed of poets and professors had been formed to select the candidate for the first literature award given by the institution he leads.
“The University has established a professional jury composed of literature professors and writers who have followed the works of numerous national and international personalities,” he explains.
Meanwhile, regarding the awarding of this prize to Kadare, Tafa said that the jury based its decision on the writer’s work. “Seeing that Kadare is the most distinguished writer, just as Podrimja is in literature, he is in prose and poetry, and the jury decided to award it to Kadare,” he said, adding that there was no other candidate for this award, considering Kadare’s name and the reputation he has earned.
Tafa considers that the ceremony will be very special. “Ali Podrimja, as one of the most renowned writers in all Albanian-speaking regions, deserved to have such an award in his name; likewise Kadare, as an exceptionally distinguished writer, also deserved such an award. Therefore, I believe this ceremony will be very special,” he said.
The Rector said that organizing this ceremony required only technical preparations, which lasted about two weeks, since the idea had been conceived earlier.
Tafa says that this award could become the largest literary prize not only in Kosovo: “It is intended to be the biggest literary award ever given in Kosovo and perhaps even in the region.” In addition to the award ceremony, the organizers say that there will be an evening full of art.
“The Choir of the Kosovo Philharmonic will perform, while professional actors from the National Theatre will interpret poems by Ismail Kadare; one of the jury members will also give a speech about the reasoning for this award, as well as Kadare,” says Tafa. He added that they are considering making the award traditional and presenting it every year.
Ismail Kadare is the laureate of many national and international literary awards such as: “The Booker Prize Man,” then he has been decorated by the President of the Republic of Albania with the Order “Honor of the Nation,” and by the French state with the orders “Cross of the Legion of Honor” and “Officer of the Legion of Honor.” He was honored with the major Spanish award, “Prince of Asturias for Literature,” and he is also the winner of the “Rexhai Surroi” award for the novel “Darka e gabuar.”
Kadare has also been several times among the main contenders to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. He was also among the leading candidates for this award last year.
Ismail Kadare is one of the most brilliant contemporary writers, several times nominated for the “Nobel” Prize in Literature. He is distinguished for novellas and novels, but has also published volumes of poetry and essays. He began writing when he was still young, and his works have been translated into more than 45 languages worldwide. In 1996 Kadare became a lifetime member of the Academy of Moral and Political Sciences in France. In 1992 he was awarded the Prix Mondial Cino Del Duca; in 2005 he won the Man Booker International Prize, and in 2009 he received the Prince of Asturias Award for the Arts. He has divided his life between France and Albania, and is married to the well-known writer of children’s sketches and stories, Helena Kadare.
Ismail Kadare was born on January 28, 1936, in Gjirokastër, where he also completed his secondary education at the “Asim Zeneli” gymnasium. In 1958 he finished the Department of Language and Literature at the University of Tirana. He later studied in Moscow for two years, at the “Maxim Gorky” Institute of World Literature, from 1958 to 1960.
Works of Ismail Kadare
Lyrics, poems, and epics:
Frymëzime djaloshare (1954) • Endërrime • Shekulli im (1961) • Përse mendohen këto male (1964) • Motive me diell (1968) (’78) • Shekulli im (1961) • Koha (1976) • Ca pika shiu ranë mbi qelq.
Short stories, novellas, and dramas:
Qyteti i Jugut (1967) (’71) • Emblema e dikurshme (1977) (’81) • Ura me tri harqe (1978) (’80) • Gjakftohtësia (1980) • Koha e shkrimeve (1986) • Tri këngë zie për Kosovën (1998) • Ikja e shtërgut (1999) • Çështje të marrëzisë • Ditë kafenesh • Stinë e mërzitshme në Olymp.
Novels:
Gjenerali i ushtrisë së vdekur (1963) (’67) (’71) (’73) (’76) (’78) (’80) (’90) (’98) • Dasma (1968) • Kështjella (1970) (’73) (’76) (’78) (’80) • Kronikë në gur (1971) (’72) (’76) (’78) (’80) (’97) (2000) • Dimri i vetmisë së madhe (1973) (’77) (’99) • Nëntori i një kryeqyteti (1975) (’80) • Kush solli Doruntinën (1979) • Nëntori i një Kryeqyteti (1980) • Prilli i thyer (1980) • Nata me hënë (1985) • Koncert në fund të dimrit (1988) (’89) (’90) (?’99) • Dosja H (1990) • Përbindëshi (1991) • Piramida (1992) • Viti i mbrapshtë (1990) (2003) • Kasnecët e shiut (1994) • Pallati i ëndrrave (1996) • Spiritus (1996) • Qorrfermani (1999) • Vjedhja e gjumit mbretëror (1999) • Breznitë e Hankonatëve (2000) • Vajza e Agamemnonit (2000) • Lulet e ftohta të marsit (2000) • Qyteti pa reklama (2001) • Jeta, loja dhe vdekja e Lul Mazrekut (2002) • Pasardhësi (2004) • Shkaba (2004) • Hija (2007) • Spiritus (2007) • Muzgu i perëndive të stepës • Darka e gabuar (2008) • E penguara (2009) • Aksidenti (2010) • Mjegullat e Tiranës (2014).
Essays, studies, and interviews:
Autobiografia e popullit në vargje (1971) (’80) • Linja të largëta (1971) • Ftesë në studio (1990) (2004) • Eskili, ky humbës i madh (1990) • Dialog me Alain Bosquet (1996) • Kushëriri i engjëjve (1997) • Kombi shqiptar në prag të mijëvjeçarit të tretë (1998) • Ra ky mort e u pamë (2000) • Kohë barbare (Nga Shqipëria në Kosovë) (2000) • Bisedë përmes hekurash (2000) • Unaza në kthetra (2001) • Eskili, ky humbës i madh (2001) (2006) • Princesha Argjiro (2003) • Poshtërimi në Ballkan (2004) • Dantja i pashmangshëm (2005) • Identiteti evropian i shqiptarëve (2006) • Hamleti, princi i vështirë (2006) • Mosmarrëveshja, mbi raportet e Shqipërisë me vetveten (2010) • Mbi krimin në Ballkan; Letërkëmbim i zymtë (2011) • Çlirimi i Serbisë prej Kosovës (2012).
