Parashqevi Qiriazi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Parashqevi Qiriazi
(Paraskevi D. Kyrias) |
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Parashqevi Qiriazi
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| Born | June 2, 1880 |
| Died | December 17, 1970 (aged 90) |
| Relatives | sister of Gjerasim Qiriazi (1858–1894), Gjergj Qiriazi (1868–1912), and Sevasti Qiriazi (1871–1949) |
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Parashqevi Qiriazi (born June 2, 1880 – died December 17, 1970) was an important Albanian teacher. She was part of the famous Kyrias family. Parashqevi spent her life helping to create and teach the written Albanian language.
She was the only woman to attend the Congress of Manastir. This meeting decided how the Albanian alphabet would look. Parashqevi also started Yll' i Mëngjesit, which was a group for women. Later, she went to the Paris Peace Conference, 1919 to speak for Albanians living in America. Her sister, Sevasti Qiriazi, was the director of the Mësonjëtorja. This was the first school for girls in Albania, opened in 1891.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Parashqevi was born in a city called Monastir. This city is now in North Macedonia. When she was only 11 years old, she started helping her brother Gjerasim Qiriazi and sister Sevasti Qiriazi. They taught Albanian to girls at the Girls' School (Albanian: Shkolla e Vashave). This school opened on October 15, 1891.
Later, Parashqevi studied at Robert College in Istanbul. After she finished her studies, she went to Korçë. There, she worked as an elementary teacher with her sister Sevasti. They taught at the Mësonjëtorja, which was the first Albanian school, opened in 1887.
Contributions to the Albanian Language
In 1908, Parashqevi was the only woman to attend the Congress of Monastir. This was a very important meeting where people decided on the new Albanian alphabet.
In 1909, she wrote a special book for learning the alphabet, called an abecedarium. Even though the Congress had chosen an alphabet, her book still showed two versions. This shows that people were still deciding on the best way to write Albanian.
Along with her alphabet book, she wrote some famous verses. These verses defended the new Albanian alphabet:
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Armiqëtë o shqipëtarë, |
The enemies, oh Albanians, |
Parashqevi also helped organize schools for children in other villages in southern Albania. She set up night schools and helped create local libraries.
Women's Rights and Activism
Parashqevi helped start the Yll' i Mëngjesit association (meaning "Morning Star") in 1909. Later, when she moved to the United States, she continued to publish a magazine with the same name. This magazine was published from 1917 to 1920. It came out every two weeks and had articles about Albania. These articles covered topics like politics, society, history, language, literature, and folklore.
In 1914, she had to leave Albania and go to Romania with her sister. This happened because of the Greek occupation of their city.
She then went to the United States. There, she became a member of the Albanian-American community. She represented the rights of Albanians at the Paris Peace Conference in 1919.
Parashqevi came back to Albania in 1921. She was very interested in how the new Albanian state was developing. She helped start and lead the "Kyrias" Female Institution in Tirana and Kamëz. She worked with her sister Sevasti and her brother-in-law Kristo Dako.
In 1928, a group called "Gruaja Shqiptare" ("The Albanian Woman") was created in Tirana. Parashqevi became a leader in this group. It aimed to help Albanian women get more education, improve hygiene, and take part in charity work. Between 1929 and 1931, the group published a magazine called Shqiptarja ("The Albanian Woman"). Parashqevi and her sister Sevasti wrote many articles for it. The magazine challenged old ways of thinking that were against women's progress.
Later Life and Challenges
Parashqevi was strongly against fascism during World War II. Because of her views, she and her sister were sent to a camp near Belgrade.
After the war, she returned to Tirana. However, she and her family faced more difficulties. Because her brother-in-law Kristo Dako had supported King Zog, the new government treated the Kyrias family unfairly. Parashqevi and her sister's family were forced to live away from Tirana. Her two nephews (Sevasti's sons) were also imprisoned.
Thanks to the efforts of an Albanian scholar named Skënder Luarasi, and later Vito Kapo, the Kyrias sisters were partly recognized for their work again. Parashqevi passed away in Tirana on December 17, 1970.
Legacy
Parashqevi Qiriazi and her sister Sevasti are seen as the founders of Albanian education. The Albanian-American Women Organization (AAWO) in New York City is named "Qiriazi Sisters" in their honor.
March 7 is celebrated as Teachers' Day in Albania. This day remembers the opening of the Qiriazi family's school in 1891.
The Albanian movie Mësonjtorja ("The School"), made in 1979, is about her and her brother Gjerasim. Many schools in Albania and Kosovo are named after the Qiriazi family.
Read also
- Albanian alphabet
- Congress of Monastir
- Kyrias Family
- Fatbardha Gega
See also
In Spanish: Parashqevi Qiriazi para niños
