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)