{{Short description|Albanian politician, educator and mathematician}} {{Infobox person | name = Sotir Jovan Peci | image = Sotir Peci (portrait).jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = Sotir Peci | birth_date = {{birth date|1873|07|13}} | birth_place = Dardhë, Ottoman Empire (modern Albania) | death_date = {{Death date and age|1932|04|10|1873|07|13}} | death_place = Florina, Greece | other_names = | known_for = Having been the Minister of Education of Albania | occupation = teacher, mathematician, politician | father = Jovan Peci | signature = Sotir Peci (nënshkrim).svg | signature_size = 80px }}
'''Sotir Peci''' (1873–1932) was an Albanian politician, educator and mathematician. In 1906 he published the first Albanian-language newspaper in the United States of America in Boston. In 1908 he participated as a delegate in the Congress of Monastir. In 1920 he was appointed Minister of Education of Albania.
== Early life == Sotir Peci was born in Dardhë, a village near Korçë,<ref name="Skendi161">{{harvnb|Skendi|1967|p=161.}}</ref> on July 13, 1873. The son of wealthy merchant Jovan Peci, his father died while he was a child. Peci studied at the local school in Korçë. In 1890 at the age of 17 he enrolled at the University of Athens where he studied physical sciences and graduated with a degree in mathematics.<ref name="eduni">{{cite book|title=Canadian review of studies in nationalism: Revue canadienne des études sur le nationalisme|publisher=University of Prince Edward Island|year=2003|volume=30-32|pages=46|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EzKDAAAAMAAJ&q=Sotir+Peci+athens}}</ref> While in Athens he published the Albanian dictionary written by<!--or was he just the compiler?--> Kostandin Kristoforidhi.
== Activities in the United States == In 1905 Peci migrated to the United States, settling in Boston. There he became a member of the Patriotic Brotherhood of Dardha ({{langx|sq|Vëllezëria Patriotike e Dardhës}}) and published the weekly newspaper ''The Nation'' ({{langx|sq|Kombi}}), the first Albanian-language newspaper in the USA.<ref name="eduni"/><ref>{{cite book|last=Tarasar|first=Constance|title=Orthodox America, 1794-1976: development of the Orthodox Church in America|publisher=Dept. of History and Archives|year=1975|pages=309|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-ftCAAAAIAAJ&q=sotir+peci}}</ref><ref name="arp">{{cite book|last=Pipa|first=Arshi|title=The politics of language in socialist Albania|publisher=University of Michigan|year=1989|series=East European Monographs|volume=271|isbn=0-88033-168-2|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nkhiAAAAMAAJ}}</ref> In 1906 he employed the literary, religious, and patriotic figure Fan Noli as deputy editor of the newspaper.<ref>{{cite book|last=Elsie|first=Robert|author2=Centre for Albanian Studies |title=Albanian literature: a short history|publisher=I.B.Tauris|year=2005|pages=109|isbn=1-84511-031-5|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ox3Wx1Nl_2MC}}</ref>
== Activities in Albania == In 1908 Peci participated in the Congress of Monastir, an academic conference held in Manastir (modern Bitola), in the Vilayet of Monastir from 14 to 22 November 1908, with the goal of standardizing the Albanian alphabet,<ref name="Skendi370">{{harvnb|Skendi|1967|p=370.}}</ref> as a delegate of the Albanian communities living in the United States of America for whom he was granted three votes.{{citation needed|date=April 2020}} After returning to Albania in 1908 he taught at the Normal School of Elbasan.<ref name="arp"/> During the late Ottoman period, Peci supported Austro-Hungarian assistance toward Albanian geopolitical interests in the Balkans.<ref name="Skendi268">{{cite book|last=Skendi|first=Stavro|title=The Albanian national awakening|year=1967|location=Princeton|publisher=Princeton University Press|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8QPWCgAAQBAJ&q=Sotir+Peci&pg=PR15|isbn=9781400847761|pages=268}}</ref>
Sotir Peci wrote a series of textbooks in physics, mathematics and grammar and was appointed director of education of Korçë.{{citation needed|date=April 2020}} He was a member of the Committee for the National Defence of Kosovo, founded in Shkodër in late 1918.<ref>{{citation|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_XW4AAAAIAAJ&q=eshref+frasheri| title=La Lutte anti-imperialiste de liberation nationale du peuple albanais, 1918-1920| author=Muin Çami| page=34|year=1973| publisher=Académie des Sciences de la RP d'Albanie, Institut d'Histoire|oclc=4366925}}</ref><ref>{{citation| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NDg5AQAAIAAJ&q=eshref+frasheri| page=117| title=Jahrbuch für Geschichte der UdSSR und der volksdemokratischen Länder Europas| journal= Jahrbuch für Geschichte der Udssr und der Volksdemokratischen Länder Europas| volume=11| year=1967|location=Berlin| publisher=Rütten & Loening|issn=0863-1603| oclc=8188497}}</ref> He also participated at the national Congress of Lushnjë where a new national cabinet was elected with Sulejman Delvina as its prime minister. Sotir Peci was elected Minister of Education.<ref name="pearsonn">{{cite book|last=Pearson|first=Owen|title=Albania and King Zog: independence, republic and monarchy 1908-1939|publisher=I. B. Tauris|year=2004|pages=139|isbn=1-84511-013-7|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3_Sh3y9IMZAC}}</ref> In 1921 he was elected deputy of Korçë. He also became a member of the Supreme Council of Regency.
thumb|right|180x180px|Sotir Peci street in Korçë In 1924 he appointed the bishop of Durrës Fan Noli as prime minister of Albania.<ref name="arp"/> After the failure of the June Revolution and rise of Ahmet Zogu in power, Peci left to Italy and later settled in Greece. He was given a death sentence in absent, but then revoked by the partial amnesty that Zog applied. Anyway, he never reconciled with the Tirana politics. Sotir Peci died in Florina in 1932. His body was reburied in Korçë with great honors while Zog was in power. He was honoured posthumously with the title Teacher of the People ({{langx|sq|Mësues i Popullit}}). A road and a school in Korçë were renamed after him.
== See also == *National Renaissance of Albania *Congress of Lushnjë
== References == {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Peci, Sotir}} Category:1873 births Category:1932 deaths Category:People from Korçë Category:Government ministers of Albania Category:Education ministers of Albania Category:Albanian publishers (people) Category:19th-century Albanian politicians Category:20th-century Albanian politicians Category:People from Manastir vilayet Category:Activists of the Albanian National Awakening Category:19th-century Albanian educators Category:20th-century Albanian educators Category:Expatriates from the Ottoman Empire in Greece