, merged =

Vatra, the Pan-Albanian Federation of America Vatra ('' en, The Hearth'') is an association of Albanian Americans, created in 1912, that has historically protected the rights of the Albanians in the United States, as well as has endeavored in lobbying with the United States Congress about the ...

, successor = , formation = , founder = , extinction = , merger = , type = Patriotic, cultural, political , tax_id = , registration_id = , status = , purpose = , headquarters =

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

, location = , coords = , region = USA , membership = , language = Albanian, English , owner = , sec_gen = , leader_title = President , leader_name = , leader_title2 = Vice President , leader_name2 = Goni Katundi , leader_title3 = Treasurer , leader_name3 = Angelo Stefenson (Katundi) , leader_title4 = , leader_name4 = , board_of_directors = , key_people =

Sotir Peçi 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 Mona ...

Fan Noli

Petro Nini Luarasi Petro Nini Luarasi (born 22 April 1865 in Luaras, Kolonjë, Albania, then Ottoman Empire, and died on 17 August 1911 in Ersekë, Kolonjë, Albania, then Ottoman Empire) was an Albanian rilindas activist, Christian orthodox priest, teacher and ...

, main_organ = , parent_organization = , subsidiaries = , secessions = , affiliations = , budget = , revenue = , disbursements = , expenses = , endowment = , staff = , volunteers = , slogan = , mission = , website = , remarks = , formerly = , footnotes = Besa-Besën (Pledge for a Pledge) was an organization of Albanian emigrants in

. The society was founded on January 6, 1907, in Boston. The elected president was

Fan Noli Theofan Stilian Noli, known as Fan Noli (6 January 1882 – 13 March 1965), was an Albanian writer, scholar, diplomat, politician, historian, orator, Archbishop, Metropolitan and founder of the Albanian Orthodox Church and the Albanian Orthodox ...

, vice-president Goni Katundi, treasurer Angelo Stefenson, and secretary Nini Fani Katundi. It had an elderly council as advisory body. The society gave a contribute in establishment of the

Albanian Orthodox Church The Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania ( sq, Kisha Ortodokse Autoqefale e Shqipërisë), commonly known as the Albanian Orthodox Church or the Orthodox Church of Albania, is an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox church. It declared its autoce ...

in March 1908, where Fan Noli was ordained priest by Platon, the Russian Mitropolite of New York. The same month Noli gave the first sermon in Albanian in Knights of Honor Hall of Boston. The church of Saint George was the first Albanian American church, and the first Albanian Orthodox church in overall. Meanwhile,

Kristo Kirka Kristo Kirka (17 January 1883 – 28 April 1955) was an Albanian patriot, diplomat, politician, and activist. He is one of the most contributing figures of the Albanian national cause. Early life Kirka was born in 1883 in Korçë, Ottoman Empire ( ...

became President of the society. The society contributed also in the spread of Albanian education in

Ottoman Albania Albania under the Ottoman Empire refers to a period in Albanian history from the Ottoman conquest in the late 15th century to the Albanian declaration of Independence and official secession from the Ottoman Empire in 1912. The Ottomans first ent ...

, i.e. the Normal School of Elbasan, the first institution for higher education in

Albanian Albanian may refer to: *Pertaining to Albania in Southeast Europe; in particular: **Albanians, an ethnic group native to the Balkans **Albanian language **Albanian culture **Demographics of Albania, includes other ethnic groups within the country ...

. On February 15, 1909, the society started the publication of ''

Dielli ''Dielli'' is a newspaper published in the United States by Vatra, the Pan-Albanian Federation of America. History ''Dielli'' started on February 15, 1909, as a political-patriotic newspaper of the Besa-Besën society of Boston, Massachusetts, on ...

'', which is still published today, being one of the oldest Albanian-language newspapers. Its manager was Fan Noli, until October 22 when

Faik Konitza Faik Bey Konica (later named ''Faïk Dominik Konitza'', 15 March 1875 – 15 December 1942) was an important figure in Albanian language and culture in the early decades of the twentieth century. Prewar Albanian minister to Washington, his litera ...

came and took over. On April 28, 1912, Besa-Besën together with other Albanian-American organizations (''Flamuri i Krujes'', ''Keshilli Kombetar'', ''Dallandyshja'', and other smaller organizations) merged into

. ''Dielli'' was carried over as a Vatra publication, and Kristo Kirka was elected as manager.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Besa-Besen Albanian-American culture in Massachusetts Albanian-American history 1907 establishments in Massachusetts European-American organizations Organizations established in 1907 Organizations disestablished in 1912