In Korçë, Kristo Dako was born, an activist of the National Movement, a publicist, organizer of education in Albania, author of school texts, and a historian. He emigrated at a young age to Bucharest, where he attended high school and pursued higher studies in mathematics. He was the secretary of the society “Shpresa” (“Hope”) of the students of Bucharest (1900) and a delegate to the congress of oppressed peoples by Turkey (Vienna, 1911). He emigrated to the United States of America, where he was elected chairman of the federation “Vatra” (“Hearth”) and editor-in-chief of the newspaper “Dielli” (“The sun”). In the years 1915–1916, he led the temporary “Biblioteka – Zëri i Shqipërisë” (Library – Voice of Albania) and together with his wife, Sevasti Qiriazi (Dako), and Parashqevi Qiriazi, they published the magazine “Ylli i mëngjezit” (“The morning star”)(1917–1920). After returning to Albania (1920), he was appointed inspector general of the Ministry of Education. In 1921, he was elected deputy of the Drin prefecture. He served as Minister of Education in the cabinet of Prime Minister Hasan Prishtina. After being dismissed as a deputy in 1922, together with the Qiriazi sisters, he reopened the Girls’ School in Kamza, Tirana (Educational Institute “Kyrias“) with three branches (classical, normal, and home economics). He published the brochure “Cilët janë shqiptarët?” (“Who are the Albanians?”) (1911) and the books: “Shqipëria, kyçi strategjik i Lindjes së Afërme” (“Albania, the strategic key of the Near East”) (1919), “Liga e Prizrenit” (“The League of Prizren”) (Bucharest, 1922), “Ahmet Zogu, mbret i shqiptarëve”, (“Ahmet Zog, king of the Albanians”) (1937). He passed away in 1941. He was decorated with the “Order of Skanderbeg”. (In the photo: Kristo Dako)
Text: Albanian encyclopedic dictionary – Vol. 1 , Academy of Sciences of Albania, “Kristalina-KH”, Tirana, 2008, page 411.
Photo: © https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kristo_Dako
Graphic processing: AHCF
