Rita Petro

Rita Petro
Born
Rita Petro (Filipi)

(1962-03-13) 13 March 1962
Tirana, PR Albania
Alma materUniversity of Tirana
University of Athens
OccupationsWriter, poet, publisher
Years active1985–present

Rita Petro (born 13 March 1962) is an Albanian writer, poet and publisher.

Early life and education

Petro was born in Tirana, Albania. She studied Albanian language and literature at the University of Tirana from 1980 to 1984. In 1993, she completed further studies in ancient philosophy and culture at the University of Athens.[1]

Career

From 1985 to 2000, Petro worked as an editor at the state publishing house of school books.[1][2]

In 2000, she co-founded the publishing house Albas, together with Latif Ajrullai.The company operates in Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia and the Preševo Valley and focuses mainly on educational publications.[1]

Petro has contributed as a co-author to numerous school textbooks in Albanian language and literature used in pre-university education.[1]

Her literary works have been published in various literary journals and anthologies, and translated into several languages, including French, German, English, Romanian and Macedonian.[1]

Works

Petro's works include:

  • Vargje të përfolura (1993)[3]
  • Shija e instinktit (1998)[4]
  • Këtu poshtë këndohet live (2002)[5]
  • Në intimitet (2006)[6]
  • Vrima (2014)[7]
  • Lindur së prapthi (2022)[8]

Reception

The poetry collection Vrima (2014) received public attention following its publication and was widely discussed in Albanian media. It also generated controversy, largely due to its explicit treatment of the human body and sexuality, which some critics and commentators considered provocative or inappropriate.[9]

Awards

Petro has received several literary awards, including:

  • Onufri Prize (1999)[1]
  • National Bibliophile Prize “Lumo Skëndo” (2014)[10]
  • Prize for Poetry Career (2014)

In 2025, she was named Poet Laureate of Albania for the period 2025–2027.[11]

Personal life

Petro was in a relationship with publisher Latif Ajrullai, co-founder of the publishing house Albas.[12]

Ajrullai died in November 2020 after contracting COVID-19.[13]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Rita Petro". European Union Prize for Literature. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  2. ↑ "Rita Petro". Bukinist (in Albanian). Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  3. ↑ "Rita Petro: Poetesha e rrjeteve (a)sociale". Living (in Albanian). 20 March 2017. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  4. ↑ "Rita Petro: Kur fillon të ndiesh gjuhën e trupit përmbysen të gjitha mitet, diktaturat". ExLibris (in Albanian). Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  5. ↑ "Rita Petro: Ne gratë jemi qenie më erotike se sa burrat". Newsbomb (in Albanian). 17 April 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  6. ↑ Petro, Rita (2006). Në intimitet (in Albanian). Albas.
  7. ↑ Petro, Rita (8 October 2014). Vrima (in Albanian). Tiranë: Albas. p. 117. ISBN 9789292354619.
  8. ↑ Petro, Rita (2022). Lindur së prapthi (in Albanian). Tiranë: Onufri. ISBN 9789928391056.
  9. ↑ "Rita Petro: Libri "Vrima" ka shumë dashuri, jo erotizëm". Koha Jonë (in Albanian). 17 April 2021. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  10. ↑ "Poezitë erotike të Rita Petros marrin çmimin "Lumo Skëndo"". Shqiptarja.com (in Albanian). 21 December 2015. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  11. ↑ "Rita Petro është poetja laureate e QKLL për vitin 2025". Gazeta Tema (in Albanian). 23 December 2025. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  12. ↑ "Rita Petro rrëfen dashurinë me Latif Ajrullai". Gazeta Shqiptare (in Albanian). Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  13. ↑ "Humbi bashkëshortin nga Covid, Rita Petro". ABC News Albania (in Albanian). 30 December 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
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