Culture
Academy of Sciences bids farewell to Luan Omari, the last of its 1972 founders, at 101
The jurist and academic, one of the founding figures of Albanian constitutional law, died on Oct. 29. Colleagues and former students remembered him at a solemn ceremony in Tirana.
By ANN Newsroom · Newsroom
October 30, 2026, 15:05 · Updated 19:02 · 2 min read
In brief
- The ceremony was held at the Academy of Sciences, attended by its president, Skënder Gjinushi, and University of Tirana Rector Artan Hoxha.
- With Omari's death, the Academy loses the last of its 1972 founders.
- He led the Faculty of Law for decades and represented Albania on the Venice Commission.
The Academy of Sciences of Albania held a solemn ceremony on Friday to bid farewell to academic Luan Omari, who died the day before at the age of 101. It was attended by Academy President Skënder Gjinushi, Vice President Vasil Tole, members of the presidium, family members, colleagues and former students.
The last of the founders
The Academy's scientific secretary, Anila Hoda, opened the ceremony with a minute of silence and described Omari as one of the founders of the Academy in 1972 and an eminent figure of Albanian legal thought. With his death, she said, the Academy loses the last of its founders. Omari had served there as scientific secretary and vice president.
University of Tirana Rector Artan Hoxha called him one of the most important figures of Albanian constitutionalism and a founder of the Albanian school of law, who led the Faculty of Political and Legal Sciences for decades. Aurela Anastasi, his former student, praised his comparative studies of forms of government, the rule of law and the separation of powers, while Ksenofon Krisafi recalled his role in public constitutional debates. The ceremony was closed by academic Kosta Barjaba, who called him one of the most eloquent teachers he had ever known. His daughter, Prof. Anila Omari, thanked those present on behalf of the family.
From Sofia to the Venice Commission
Born in Tirana on June 10, 1925, Omari studied law in Belgrade and Sofia and became one of the first professors of constitutional law in Albania. After the 1990s he took part in the discussions on drafting the Constitution and represented the country on the Council of Europe's Venice Commission.
In 2016 the Academy gave him its Academic Career Award, and in 2020 the President awarded him the “Gjergj Kastrioti Skënderbeu” title.
