The director of National Library of Albania, Piro Misha, the director of the National Book and Reading Center, Alda Bardhyli, translators and writers Diana Çuli and prof. Edmond Tupja paid tribute to the figure of Vedat Kokona, emphasizing the importance of such activities as the best way to commemorate and pass down to the new generations the legacy that these personalities have left in Albanian culture. Family members, friends, writers, translators, researchers, lecturers, as well as lovers of books and culture participated in this event.

This exhibition is intended to showcase the journey of creativity and activity of Vedat Kokona, as a writer, translator and lexicographer. He set out on this journey at the age of 16 writing for the magazines and newspapers in the 20s-30s, such as: “Iliria”, “Ora”, “Vatra”, “Diana”, “Minerva”, “Albanian Effort” etc., with his first poetry “The Elves”, published in the newspaper “Ora”, in 1929, or the novel “Last Prayer”, published in the newspaper “Vatra”, in 1933, which is also the winner of the first literary prize.

Later on, he continued with the publications of the first works “From Tirana to Stockholm: trip impressions” (1935); “Light and Shadow” (1939) and “April 7” (1943). His first attempt in the field of translation brought the French writer Victor Hugo into the Albanian language, published in the newspaper “Illyria” in 1934, a contribution that would continue to bring the world renowned names of world literature into Albanian, such as: Victor Hugo, Pierre Corneille, Voltaire, La Fontaine, Honoré de Balzac, Charles Dickens, William Shakespeare, Jean-Baptiste Racine, Ivan Turgenev, etc.
The exhibition also features his contribution in the field of lexicography through the drafting of bilingual French-Albanian dictionaries, which are viewed as “the foundation stones” of learning the French language.

The exhibition will stay on display for several days.