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Avni
Spahiu |
AVNI SPAHIU 1956
CURRICULUM VITAE
PERSONAL DATA
Name: Avni Spahiu
Date of Birth: March 12, 1956
Place of Birth: Mitrovica, Kosova
Married: August 24, 1980
Address: Prishtina
Tel: + 377 44 502 444
E-mail : avni_spahiu@hotmail.com
EDUCATION:
Post-Graduate Studies on Literature at the
Faculty of Philology of Prishtina University
completed in 1986.
Faculty of Philology – English Department,
Prishtina – graduated in 1978.
High School in Elk Rapids – Michigan, USA-
graduated in 1974.
Gymnasium in Mitrovica – two years attended
1970-72.
Elementary school in Mitrovica – Kosova,
finished in 1970.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS HIGHLIGHTS
1978: Journalist and reporter in the
beginning, covering mainly foreign news, at
“Rilindja” daily newspaper
1980 Desk editor, special reporter, at
“Rilindja” daily newspaper
1982: 1086 “Permanent correspondent to
UN/USA in New York” of “Rilindja” daily
newspaper.
I reported on daily events covering USA and
UN, writing filed reports, stories and
features, and intervieing ranging from UN
high officials (e.g. UN Secretary General),
USA politicians and famous figures of social
and culture life in America (e.g. interviews
with various US senators, and administration
members, actors, writers etc.). During that
period I also reported for former Television
Prishtina on daily events using UN TV crews
and facilities, and I conducted several
interviews for TV Prishtina. Occasionally I
also wrote for various magazines and reviews
in Kosova.
1986: Foreign Desk Editor at “Rilindja” in
Prishtina. In the meantime I reported from
numerous international gatherings and events
throughout Europe, USA, Canada, etc.
1990: Co-founder of the first free news
agency in Kosova, Kosova Information Center.
1994-1998: Editor in Chief of “Rilindja” (“Bujku”).
1999-2000: Editor in Chief of RTK
(Television Kosova).
2002 –2003: Director of Television of Kosova
(Kosova’s Public Broadcaster)
2003: Director of Radio Department of RTK
(two national-wide radios: Radio Kosova and
Radio Blue Sky).
QUALIFICATIONS:
Professional: My professional skills range
from starting as a journalist and reporter
to writing commentaries, analyses,
editorials, feature stories, and serials. I
also became known for Kosovar mass media as
author of interviews with famous people,
such as Mother Teresa, various world
dignitaries and noted personalities,
including several heads of state, and
foreign ministers, famous writers, artists,
historians, scientists and other renowned
personalities. I appeared with analyses and
serials in a range of magazines and reviews
published in Kosova, Albania, and even
Western ones. My name has been recognized
and known throughout the Albanian-speaking
world as a journalist and publicist.
Management and Leadership: I have a long
experience in management, starting from
early 80s as desk editor of a newspaper and
a daily newspaper editor in chief, and RTK
editor in chief. During 1994-1998 I had my
biggest challenge in management work for the
(then) only daily newspaper in Albanian in
Kosova “Rilindja” (“Bujku”). It was one of
the most difficult periods of our history in
which, apart from difficulties in doing our
daily professional work as journalists we
faced the cruel pressure by the regime that
targeted first of all journalists and mass
media. I was leading a staff of nearly 200
hundred people (we published three daily
editions: Kosova, Western Europe, and
Albania editions). However, we did our best
in maintaining our professionalism,
objectivity and realistic reporting on
events marking the end of the century in
Kosova. Above all, we were successful in
organization and management of a crew that
survived despite the difficult time through
which Kosova and our newspaper was going.
I was fortunate enough to be part of a team
that started up Radio and Television of
Kosova (RTK) and work with experienced
internationals that helped set up the first
free public TV station in the area. I held
editorial and managing responsibilities in
it as an editor in chief for one full year,
and feel proud for the shared period working
on the post.
Technical Skills: My knowledge of computer
and computer system is good. I can work with
database as well as Microsoft office
software. I am very much a “workingman,” and
can tackle just about any problem connected
to my professional field. I can easily find
common language with colleagues and have an
ability to cope with issues and problems.
OTHER AREAS OF INTEREST
Human Rights: I find it worth mentioning
that during early 90s, with leading
intellectuals of Kosova, in the wave of the
democratic movement, we started up the first
Human Rights Council, which became known and
respected in the entire region, and wider.
During that time we wrote reports, filed
appeals to the UN and democratic Europe on
human rights violations in Kosova. In that
capacity I attended UN Sessions on Human
Rights in Geneva, speaking on its behalf
before the UN Human Rights Commission, I
attended round table discussions in various
capitals on political issues and human
rights, such as OSCE Human Dimension
Conference at Copenhagen, in Norway, Sweden,
Germany, Austria, etc. I presented my views
on democratic changes for the region with
particular emphasis on human rights, free
media, tolerance, dialogue, conflict
resolution, and political dialogue.
Translation: In the meantime I was dedicated
to translation from Albanian to English and
vice versa. So far I have over 20 translated
and published books of literature and
Western thought. I have also translated
poetry written by famous British and
American poets.
Authorial works: I have worked on three
authorial books, one of which is a
collection of features from the USA written
during my work as a correspondent and
reporter from the USA, and the other on the
Albanian Diaspora in America, a field of
interest not much tackled before focusing on
the former Albanian Prime Minister, priest
and erudite, the famous Albanian-American,
Mnsgr. Fan Stilian Noli.
Publications:
“Fan Noli – jeta nw Amerikw”
“Teach me to love” (Mother Teresa’s poetry –
translation)
“Do you Come from Chameria” (poetry
anthology – translation)
“A Split Stone” (an anthology of Albanian
poetry) |
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