Albas Ismail Qemali

Ismail Qemal Vlora was born in Vlora on January 24, 1844, in a large, honorable and well-known family in the Ottoman world. His father took part in the revolts against the Tanzimat. He was educated at the "Zosimea" gymnasium, where he learned several foreign languages, even as an autodidact. Later, he started his diplomatic and political career in the Ottoman administration and, at the end of the 19th century, he became one of the figures of the pro-Western opposition against the Sultan. With extraordinary courage and great efforts, when Albania was in danger of disappearing from the Balkan map, he managed to unite the efforts and hopes of Albanian patriots and announce in Vlora on November 28, 1912, the Independence of Albania.