Besa-Besën

{{Distinguish | Besa-Besë}}

{{Infobox organization

| name = "Pledge for a Pledge" Society

| native_name = Besa-Besën

| native_name_lang = sq

| merged = Vatra, the Pan-Albanian Federation of America

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| formation = {{start date|1907|01|06|df=y}}

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| type = Patriotic, cultural, political

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| headquarters = Boston, Massachusetts

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| region = USA

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| language = Albanian, English

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| leader_title = President

| leader_name = {{nowrap|Fan Noli (until March 1908)
Kristo Kirka (from March 1908)}}

| leader_title2 = Vice President

| leader_name2 = Goni Katundi

| leader_title3 = Treasurer

| leader_name3 = Angelo Stefenson (Katundi)

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| key_people = Sotir Peçi
Fan Noli
Petro Nini Luarasi{{citation|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Dkc5AQAAIAAJ&q=Besa-Bes%C3%ABn+boston| page=2507| title=Fjalor enciklopedik shqiptar|trans-title=Albanian Encyclopedic dictionary| volume=3, N - Zh dhe një shtojcë|isbn=9789995610326 | oclc=705766082| publisher=Akademia e Shkencave e Shqipërisë| location=Tirana| year=2009}}

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Besa-Besën (Pledge for a Pledge) was an organization of Albanian emigrants in Boston, Massachusetts.

The society was founded on January 6, 1907, in Boston. The elected president was Fan Noli, vice-president Goni Katundi, treasurer Angelo Stefenson, and secretary Nini Fani Katundi. It had an elderly council as advisory body.{{citation|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D9QqAAAAYAAJ&dq=besa&pg=PA59|title=Kalendari i Vatrës i motit 1918|author=Fan Noli, Kostandin Chekrezi|page=25|year=1918|publisher=Vatra Press}}

The society gave a contribute in establishment of the Albanian Orthodox Church in March 1908, where Fan Noli was ordained priest by Platon, the Russian Mitropolite of New York. The same month Noli gave the first sermon in Albanian in Knights of Honor Hall of Boston. The church of Saint George was the first Albanian American church, and the first Albanian Orthodox church in overall. Meanwhile, Kristo Kirka became President of the society. The society contributed also in the spread of Albanian education in Ottoman Albania, i.e. the Normal School of Elbasan, the first institution for higher education in Albanian.{{citation| url=http://www.gazetatema.net/web/2015/08/30/dossier-kohe-kur-shqiptaret-jepnin-te-holla-per-arsimin-dhe-jo-per-diploma-false/| publisher=Gazeta Tema referring to Gazeta Korca of November 12, 1909| author=Vepror Hasani| title=Dossier: Kohë kur shqiptarët jepnin të holla për Arsimin, dhe jo për "diploma false"| trans-title=Dossier: Time when Albanians contributed in Albanian education, not forged diplomas| date=2015-08-30| quote=Me përpjekjen e shoqërisë “Besa-Besën” n’Amerikë po mblidhen mjaft ndihma për shkollën Normale të Elbasanit, gjer sot pas radhuas që është hapur, janë mbledhur këto ndihma: Shoqëria “Besa-Besën” 20 dollarë, z. Kr. Qirka 5 dollarë, z. N.Tromara 5 dollarë, z. Tale Mihal 3 dollarë. S’kemi përveçse të ngjatjetojmë shoqërinë “Besa-Besën”, edhe ndihmëtarët për veprat e tyre kombiare...| access-date=September 28, 2015| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150928162127/http://www.gazetatema.net/web/2015/08/30/dossier-kohe-kur-shqiptaret-jepnin-te-holla-per-arsimin-dhe-jo-per-diploma-false/| archive-date=September 28, 2015| url-status=dead}}

On February 15, 1909, the society started the publication of Dielli, which is still published today, being one of the oldest Albanian-language newspapers. Its manager was Fan Noli, until October 22 when Faik Konitza came and took over.

On April 28, 1912, Besa-Besën together with other Albanian-American organizations (Flamuri i Krujes, Keshilli Kombetar, Dallandyshja, and other smaller organizations) merged into Vatra, the Pan-Albanian Federation of America.{{citation|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6inIiCF_930C&dq=vatra&pg=PA50|author=Robert Elsie|title=Historical Dictionary of Albania|pages=467–468|publisher=Scarecrow Press|series=Historical Dictionaries of Europe|volume=75|isbn=978-0810861886|year=2010}} Dielli was carried over as a Vatra publication, and Kristo Kirka was elected as manager.{{citation|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D9QqAAAAYAAJ&dq=besa&pg=PA59|title=Kalendari i Vatrës i motit 1918|author=Fan Noli, Kostandin Chekrezi|page=26|year=1918|publisher=Vatra Press}}

References