A historical view of the development of philantropy in Albania

INTRODUCTION Philanthropy in Albania has its own specific history, inextricably linked with the social, economic and historical circumstances that the Albanian population has lived through. The first traces of philanthropy among Albanians originate very early and date back to medieval times.

The mutual help and support among people are not features of only Albanians and people who live in our region. They are elements of the human nature itself, which have been present throughout human history in different shapes and different time periods, linked to the development levels and historical periods that human society has gone through. In the case of Albanians, the object of this study on Charity and Philanthropy will be the time period from the 19th century, during which the charitable and philanthropic activity acquired new and specific features. This activity overcame the old systems which were more linked to the Ottoman social organization of the medieval period rather than the local form of social organization.

The major shocks that rocked the old world in the 19th century, changed the way the world looked and defined the historical processes of all the European countries and wider. These changes affected all levels of life including Charity and Philanthropy. This is why we considered it fit, after analyzing voluminous material on the subject matter, to divide the charitable and philanthropic activity into two phases based on the features is displays: the phase from the 19th century until 1920 and phase after it. During most of the first period, philanthropic activity occurred under conditions generated by the administrative rule of the Ottoman Empire, thus acquiring features distinct from the succeeding time period. It is accurate that Albania gained its independence in 1912, but the proper Albanian state has its roots in the Lushnja Congress and the government that emerged from it. The years 1912-1920 were a time of uncertainties for Albania and that is why it appears slightly different from the preceding period. This continuity from the Ottoman period and the eight years that succeeded it was reflected in the charitable and philanthropic activity as well. In general terms, the features of this activity changed only slightly if at all. This is why we decided to select the year 1920 as the dividing point for structuring this study. It is exactly in the time period after this year that we observe that visible changes happened to this type of social activity. If in the first period, philanthropic activity was carried out by immigrant Albanians living abroad, in the 1