Rexhep Meidani earned a Bachelor’s degree in Physics from the University of Tirana in 1966 and a Diplôme en Etudes Approfondies in Solid State Physics from the University of Caen, France, in 1974. He later served as a Professor at the University of Tirana and the University of Pristina. Transitioning into politics in the 1990s, he chaired Albania’s Central Election Commission during its first multiparty elections in 1991 and joined the Presidential Council. He contributed significantly to civil society as Chairman of the Board of the Albanian Center for Human Rights from 1994 to 1996, joining the Socialist Party in 1996 until elected President of Albania in 1997.
Meidani played a key role in strengthening democratic institutions and promoting economic growth. He advocated for the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe to foster peace and development in the Balkans. He co-led the International Observer Delegation during the Palestinian Legislative Council Elections in 2006.
Meidani is a Member or Honorary Member of various prestigious organisations. He has served on the General Advisory Board of the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy and the Board of Trustees of Bibliotheca Alexandrina. He has participated in numerous academic and scientific councils, focusing on university studies, post-university qualification, and education system reforms.
His awards include the Gold Medal of Merit of the City of Athens (1998), the Great Cross of Salvation of Greece (1998), and the National Order Golden Star of Romania (1999). He received the Golden Key of the City of Worcester, Massachusetts (2000), and the Order of King Tomislav of Croatia (2001). Other accolades include the Medal Schuman by the Robert Schuman Foundation in Paris (2001), the National Order of Merit of Malta (2002), and being named an International Honorary Citizen of New Orleans (2002).
Meidani has been conferred the title of “Doctor Honoris Causa” by several universities, including Istanbul Technical University, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Sofia University, the American University in Rome, and the University of Portsmouth, among others. He has participated in various international conferences and seminars as a key speaker in numerous countries. In Albania, he periodically speakers at many events organised by universities and NGOs. Meidani is also an accomplished author, publishing numerous books, monographs, and hundreds of articles and studies in both Albanian and international scientific journals.
