Albania

From Bahaikipedia

Albania
Location of Albania (orange) on the European continent (white)
National Assembly		Albania
-	Chairman	Xhevdet Jubani
-	Vice Chairman	Shpëtim Mezini
-	Secretary	Payam Peyman
-	Treasurer	Matty Thimm
-	Member	Alfred Avdulaj
-	Member	Agim Kotoni
-	Member	Hilda Mezini
-	Member	Roland Petro
-	Member	Zhaneta Scudera
Statistics:
Number of Bahá'ís
-	Bahá'í source	14,033
Clusters		11
Local Assemblies		14
History: Firsts
-	Bahá'í to visit	Martha Root
-	Local Bahá'í	Refo Çapari
-	Pioneers	Elham Peyman Payam Peyman
-	Local Assembly	Tirana, 1991
-	National Assembly	1992
How to contact:

-	Phone	+355 (4) 240463
-	Fax	+355 (40 240464
-	Email	nsa [at] bahai.al
-	Address	Rruga e Dibrës, 59 – Tiranë
Official Website		http://www.bahai.al/

Albania has a community of 14,033 Bahá'ís (as of March 2008). There are 11 clusters and 14 Local Spiritual Assemblies. The first National Spiritual Assembly of Albania was elected in 1992.

In the booklet "The Bahá'í Faith 1844-1944", compiled by Shoghi Effendi, Albania is mentioned as one of the countries already opened to the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh since the ascension of 'Abdu'l-Bahá in 1921.

The first Bahá'í known to enter Albania has been Martha Root at the beginning of September 1929, coming by ferry to Durrës and visiting Tirana in order to meet King Zog I of Albania.

During the two weeks which Martha Root spent in Albania, she also met the mother of the King, five sisters and 19 relatives. From Martha Root's notes it is clear that she proclaimed the Cause ("Martha Root - Herald of the Kingdom", p.317-320).

The first Albanian Bahá'í can be considered Refo Çapari who embraced the Faith in America before 1931. In a letter dated 8 June 1931 he informs Shoghi Effendi of his arrival in Tirana on 28 April 1931. In the same letter he mentions that there is no Albanian Bahá'í literature available, that he has started working at the Ministry of Education and that he would start translating Bahá'í books immediately.

The first known published translation of Bahá'í literature into Albanian are “The Hidden Words”, translated by Refo Çapari (Archive of the Bahá'í World Center).

In a letter to the Guardian dated 19 August 1933, Refo Çapari announces the publication in Albanian of Esslemont's book “Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era”.

According to page 491 of Bahá'í World, vol. VI, Dr. Howard Carpenter visited Refo Çapari in Tirana in 1932.

In May 1933, Martha Root visited Albania for the second time. On that occasion she also met Refo Çapari who was now married to Fikriyie, mother of two daughters from a previous marriage (Myrvet and Muveddat). Notwithstanding many difficult years with religion banned in Albania, Myrvet Çani got back into contact with visiting Bahá'ís in 1989, still considering herself a Bahá'í. She passed away in 2006.

On 26 November 1934, Refo Çapari writes to Shoghi Effendi that Prof. Mehmet Vokshi from Tirana has accepted the Faith and has become a sincere believer in Bahá'u'lláh. He also mentions that he is writing a preface to the book "Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era".

On 18 December 1934, Refo Çapari sends 50 copies of the Kitáb-i-Íqán to Shoghi Effendi and informs him of the ongoing work for the translation of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's "Some Answered Questions".

On 30 August 1937, Refo Çapari informs the Guardian about the enrolment of Sulejman Male, on 25 March 1938 of that of Djafer Bey Preza, and on 20 November 1938 of that of Lufti Bektash from Tepelenë.

Refo Çapari passes away in Korçë in 1942; there are no news of further Bahá'í activities during the communist years.

The responsibility of opening Albania to the Cause was left to the National Spiritual Assembly of Germany until 1989 when the task was entrusted to the Italian National Spiritual Assembly. During these years there have been sporadic visits by individual Bahá'í friends from Germany. In 1990 a number of Italian friends started visiting Albania. Mr. Iskander Aliacka was the first to declare his belief in Bahá'u'lláh during this time; soon after he moved to Italy. In February 1991, Dritan Mezini, Anila Ismaili, and Naum and Gaziette Çaushi embraced the Faith. In April 1991, the first group of travel teachers to Albania visited the country from Italy. This was the start of a number of people coming into contact with the healing message of Bahá'u'lláh and accepting the Cause. On 16 June 1991, the first Local Spiritual Assembly of Tirana was elected in the presence of about 40 Bahá'í friends.

From 17-24 July 1991, the Local Spiritual Assemblies of Durrës, Fier and Vlorë were elected, and in August the Local Spiritual Assembly of Elbasan.

The first two pioneers who moved to Albania came from Italy on 28 July 1991, Elham and Payam Peyman.

The first National Teaching Conference is held in Durrës from 3 to 6 October 1991 in the presence of 40 Italian friends and about 250 Albanian believers. On 1 December 1991 the total number of Bahá'ís is about 800, and there are six Local Spiritual Assemblies.

On 16 May 1992, the Albanian Bahá'í Society was approved by the Ministry of Culture.

The summer of 1993 witnesses an Open Letter Project with dozens of teaching teams with travel teachers from a variety of countries who visit the remotest villages, often by foot, and proclaim the Faith to leading personalities as well as the general population. At the end of 1993, the number of registered believers reached 9,700.