[ALBSA-Info] University of Bridgeport Press Release

[aalibali at law.harvard.edu]

http://www.bridgeport.edu/news/ubpress/010507-01.html

May 7, 2001   



President of Albania to Speak at University of Bridgeport's Commencement 



His Excellency Rexhep Meidani, President of the Republic of Albania, will 
receive an honorary doctorate degree, honoris causa, at UB's ninety-first 
commencement on Sunday, May 13. President Meidani will also deliver the 
commencement address at which more than 800 undergraduate and graduate students 
will receive their degrees. The ceremony begins at 9:45 AM in the courtyard of 
the Arnold Bernhard Arts and Humanities Center (corner of University and 
Iranistan Avenues).

This will be President Meidani's only public speech during his brief stay in 
the United States, according to his aides. He will be available to speak with 
members of the media both directly after the commencement ceremony (about 12 
noon) and after the luncheon (about 2:30 PM). 

President Meidani has been selected to receive this highest honor from the 
University for his contribution to peace in the region of the Balkans, notably 
between Albania and Yugoslavia. Although the Yugoslavian province of Kosovo has 
a population of mostly ethnic Albanians, President Meidani has opposed efforts 
at annexing Kosovo into Albania and supported efforts to establish 
communication between Kosovans and the Yugoslavian government.

He has also been commended by the Greek government for his efforts to protect 
and defend the human rights of Albanian citizens of Greek origin. He is seen as 
a force for stabilization in the region and is a strong ally of the United 
States. 

Albania has been making progress in democracy under his leadership. Born in 
1944, President Meidani is an academic by training. Fluent in French and 
English, he earned an advanced degree in solid state physics from the 
University of Caen in France and a doctorate of specialization in solid state 
physics from the University of Paris. He earned his doctorate in condensed 
matter physics from Tirana University in Albania in 1984. 

During the 1970s and 80s, President Meidani was a university professor and is 
the author of 23 books. He has been a visiting researcher or professor at 
numerous colleges and universities around the world, including several in the 
United States. 



Honorary doctorate degrees, honoris causa, will also be conferred at the May 13 
ceremony upon Dr. Martha MacGuffie and the Honorable George L. Gunther. Dr. 
MacGuffie is a renowned plastic surgeon and is being honored for her many years 
of humanitarian and medical services to the global community. The Hon. George 
L. Gunther, a Connecticut state senator and a naturopathic physician, is being 
recognized for his numerous years of service to the citizens of Connecticut, 
both in government and in medicine. He has been especially supportive of the 
Naturopathic Medicine program at the University of Bridgeport, which will 
graduate its first class on May 13.