Heritage
135 years of the Girls' School in Korça: exhibition honors the Qiriazis; Peleshi: one of the finest pages
The National Library, the Institute for Albanian and Protestant Studies and the Korça municipality mark the opening of the first Albanian school for girls on Oct. 23, 1891.
By ANN Newsroom · Newsroom
October 23, 2026, 13:30 · Updated 18:46 · 1 min read
In brief
- The exhibition “135 Years of the Girls' School” recalls the contribution of the Qiriazi brother and sister.
- Visitors can also go to the school's original building in Korça on Saturday.
- Speaker of Parliament Niko Peleshi linked the anniversary to the return of the French Lyceum.
On Oct. 23, 1891, the Girls' School opened in Korça, the first Albanian school for girls. On its 135th anniversary, the National Library of Albania, together with the Institute for Albanian and Protestant Studies and the Korça municipality, opened the exhibition “135 Years of the Girls' School,” dedicated to the event and to the contribution of Gjerasim Qiriazi and his sister, Sevasti Qiriazi.
The exhibition revisits one of the most important moments in the history of Albanian-language education, tied to efforts to school Albanian girls at the end of the 19th century. Visitors will also be able to go the next day to the original Girls' School building, to see this chapter of the country's educational and cultural heritage up close.
More than a school
The building did not serve only as a school. In the past it was one of the early centers of evangelical activity in Korça and is linked to important episodes in the history of the city and of the National Renaissance.
Marking the anniversary, Speaker of Parliament Niko Peleshi called the Girls' School one of the finest pages in Korça's history. “Today, with the return of the French Lyceum, this spirit finds a new continuity, opening doors for young people to knowledge, culture and opportunities for the future. Because the European Albania we want is built every day, by investing in education and in young generations,” Peleshi said.
Also on Friday, Education Minister Mirela Kumbaro announced that the government had approved the draft law on the French Lyceum of Korça, a public school of excellence with a science focus, teaching in Albanian, English and French.
