Skopje -- #ACYPLMacedonia 2017 Reunion

Thanks to the Honorable Arber Ademi (Minister of Education) for hosting a reunion for our #ACYPLMacedonia delegation (those whom I hosted in Florida back in December 2017)

What a lovely meal and an engaging conversation about current events and politics in North Macedonia.

 

SEEU - Reunion! with my Law Students

Of course, the BEST part of being back in the lecture hall of the SEEU Skopje campus for a law-related lecture was to see my former law students!!

Now they are third-year students who are just about to graduate!  Many of them will be working on their Masters degrees at SEEU following their graduation, so I hope this is not mirupafshim.

Graduating students pictured in this poster .... that includes all of my former students from 2017

SEEU -- Southeast European University - Guest Lecture - Prof Dan Fellner, Fulbrighter - Foundation of a Free Press in America

I was pleased that we could visit SEEU in Skopje for Fulbright Specialist Dan Fellner's guest lecture.

Fulbright Specialist Dan Fellner, a professor at Arizona State University (the largest university in the US -- 110,000!),  delivered an engaging and timely lecture about "The Foundation of a Free Press in America."

Professor Fellner is a 7-time Fulbright Specialist, and I enjoyed meeting with him over a macchiato in the Old Bazaar to learn more about his work while in North Macedonia and beyond.

SEEU Vice Rector Besa Arifi

I was glad I could bring my daughter along for this important lecture

Vice Rector Besa Arifi introducing Professor Fellner

an update about Fulbright opportunities by Gazmend Ilazi of the US Embassy

Professor Dan Fellner's lecture

Skopje -- the Old Bazaar

    

the Old Bazaar

After the guest lecture at SEEU

(actually -- both before and after the guest lecture at SEEU!) we visited the Old Bazaar

I loved the SEEU Skope campus

the SEEU Skopje campus

baklava and Turkish tea on a lovely sunny summer afternoon

 

    kebabs at Destan's

 

the Vardar River, as taken from the Old Stone Bridge

the Vardar River, as taken from the Old Stone Bridge

ALBANIA: Meeting with the Minister of State for Diaspora, the Honorable Pandeli Majko, in Tirana

It was an honor to meet with the Minister of State for the Diaspora, the Honorable Pandeli Majko, while I was in Tirana.

Mr. Majko was the Prime Minister of Albania during the Kosovo crisis, so  it turned out we had colleagues/contacts from the Clinton Administration in common.

This painting behind us was commissioned by Mr. Majko's wife. It is hard to see it here (the way it is cut off at the top) -- but this is a world map made up of people. I love it!

ALBANIA: Durres....lunch on the Adriatic Sea

Exploring the ancient Roman ruins built up our appetite. It was lovely to enjoy lunch along the Adriatic seaside

our view during lunch

Great catch! Selecting what we'd like to have prepared for our lunch

ALBANIA: Durres -- ancient Roman ruins and Archeological Museum

Durres, one of the most ancient cities in Albania (and a short drive from the capital of Tirana) is located on the Adriatic coast. Durres (Epidamnos) was a vital port during the Peloponesian War as well as during Roman times (as Dyrrachium, along the Via Egnatia)

A guide took us on a tour of the ruins of the ancient Roman coliseum there, said to be the largest in the Balkans (seating 15-20,000). We saw where the gladiators and the lions were held - and also the 6th century chapel dedicated to the first Bishop of Durres, Saint Astius.  (See https://archaeology-travel.com/destinations/europe/albania/)


Some highlights from the website http://www.albaniantourist.com/durres.html :

"Durrës, a port city dating back to the 7th century BCE, is a wonderful walking, sight-seeing, and beach location.
     Historical highlights of Durres are its involvement during the Roman period, 5th century BCE. Durres, or Epidamnos at that time, became a port during the Peloponnesian War. After the war, and do to new foreign influences, Epidamnus later expanded politically, architecturally, and culturally and changed its name to Dyrrhachion; Dyrrachium was used in Roman literature and known as the battlefield between the legions of Caesar and Pompey (49-48 BCE). Dyrrhachion was a vital Roman port of The Egnatian Way (Via Egnatia). This trade route was one of the main roadways which connected Rome with Byzantium and as times flourished Durres did as well. A result is Durres being home to the largest Roman amphitheater in the Balkans.
     Modern Durres, or Durresi, is much different than its past. It shortly acquired capital notoriety, after independence in 1912, but then lost it to Tirana, is a modern, thriving port city with developed boulevards, soft sand beaches for tourism, and calm, warm Adriatic waters. Future planning for Durres has pointed towards Greek and Italian beach culture and quality."

Archeological Museum

 The Archeological Museum in Durres is the largest in Albania. We were not allowed to take pictures inside the museum. However, if you visit this link, you can see much of the collection:

https://www.intoalbania.com/attraction/the-national-archaeological-museum/