Skopje, 4 May 2024 (MIA) - The 2024 Goce Delchev State Award for outstanding achievement in the field of science in the interest of the state was presented in North Macedonia's Parliament on Saturday. 

The winners of the award are Robert Hudson and Ivan Dodovski for the work "Macedonia's Long Transition: From Independence to the Prespa Agreement and Beyond", as well as Ana Martinoska and Zharko Ivanov for the work "Mourning Songs from the 1963 Skopje Earthquake" - from the archival materials of Vasil Hadzimanov.

Elvan Hasanovikj, head of the Department of Science and Innovation at the Ministry of Education and Science, addressed the ceremony, noting that achievements in science and technology fundamentally change people's way of life.

"Creating appropriate policies and taking measures for the development of science, as well as greater investment in science, are the priorities of our country. Investments in science and scholarly research should be continuously increased. The government continuously strives to improve the national ecosystem for scholarly research. A significant amount of the national budget is allocated to encourage scholarly research. The state budget for scholarly research in recent years has doubled compared to previous years. The largest allocation is aimed at funding research projects to support the research infrastructure in the academy and public research institutions," Hasanovikj pointed out. 

She added that the Goce Delchev State Award gives social recognition for outstanding achievement in all areas of science in the interest of the state.

One of the winners, Ana Martinoska, said that although different in their genre, language, area and idea, the two award-winning works act as a main backbone in "two fundamental and for us always current concepts, Macedonia and memory".

"Honoring these works with the Goce Delchev award is not only a confirmation of their academic qualities, but also recognition of the transformative influence that science has in shaping the understanding of Macedonia at home and in the world. It not only fills the existing gaps in the explanation of events and processes in the country, but also lays the foundation for further in-depth and interdisciplinary research," Martinoska pointed out.

President of the Award Committee, Academician Ljupcho Kocarev, also addressed the ceremony. 

Photo and video: MIA