Ohrid, 16 August 2024 (MIA) - Sixty-five Macedonian language scholars from 17 countries are participating in the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University’s 57th Summer School of the International Seminar on Macedonian Language, Literature, and Culture, which kicked off Friday in Ohrid and will run until August 29.

President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, the patron of the event, opened the seminar and delivered a welcome speech to the participants.

"I am privileged to greet the extensive Macedonian academic community that is uniting today for a new beginning, a new history, which is being developed and enriched with global energies and potentials - culminating in a significant Macedonian scholarly initiative for the growth of Macedonian studies, guided by the esteemed institution with a 57-year legacy - the International Seminar on Macedonian Language, Literature, and Culture at the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje. From today, the Macedonian scholarly 'seed' will be planted in Ohrid and will spread throughout the world," she underlined.

Siljanovska-Davkova emphasized that the history of cultural, educational, and spiritual processes is deeply ingrained in our essence and Macedonian identity, and thus the terms Macedonian language, literacy, literature, and culture must be preserved in cultural history and memory.

She emphasized that the International Seminar, with its long-standing activities, represents a worthy continuation of the grand mission of the Slavic educators, first teachers, cultural diplomats, and visionaries - Saints Cyril and Methodius, whose mission was faithfully continued and developed by their most devoted disciples, Saints Clement of Ohrid and Naum of Ohrid.

Minister of Education and Science Vesna Janevska reminded that it is the responsibility of institutions and the state as a whole to promote the Macedonian language and systematically work on strengthening the position of Macedonian literature and culture worldwide.

"Promoting the Macedonian language and reinforcing its global position is a programmatic priority of the new government. From the perspective of the country's EU integration, this means enhancing the translation and interpretation capacities for the Macedonian language, to ensure timely and high-quality preparation of the national version of European legislation and providing quality support during the accession negotiations," she said.

Foreign Minister and Minister of Foreign Trade Timcho Mucunski also addressed the participants, reminding them that for over half a century, the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, through this Seminar, has been promoting Macedonian studies, the Macedonian script, and introducing participants to the inexhaustible source of values possessed by the Macedonian literary language.

Mucunski emphasized that nurturing, studying, and promoting the Macedonian language should be a mission for each of us because language and culture are the greatest wealth of a nation; they represent the cornerstone of a state.

The Director of Summer School of the International Seminar on Macedonian Language, Literature, and Culture, Prof. Dr. Kristina Nikolovska noted that this event is a monumental Macedonian gathering, a festival of both international and local Macedonian language scholars, the zenith of Macedonian studies where all Macedonian language scholars converge in a radiant synergy...

The Rector of Skopje-based Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, Prof. Dr. Biljana Angelova noted that the ideals for excellence in science and the highest standards in higher education, focused on comprehensive social and cultural prosperity, are guiding the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University towards a path of ongoing dedication to the established goals of becoming a publicly envisioned, open, and modern integrated university of the new era, evolving while confronting all the challenges encountered along the way.

In light of the Seminar's importance for Macedonistics, the University, and the state, we have designated 2024 as the Year of Macedonistics, recognizing that its significance extends beyond local to an international level.

One example is Olga Pankina, a philologist who completed her studies at Moscow University and in Macedonian at the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, and who has been engaged for decades in advancing Macedonian language, literature, and culture within the Russian Federation.

In this regard, she established the Macedonian Cultural Center in Moscow in 2010, which has been successfully operating in recent years. Pankina has translated more than 300 Macedonian literary works into Russian. A confirmation of interest in Macedonian literature in Russia is that last year, the novel “The Navel of the World” by Venko Andonovski received the Yasnaya Polyana Award, the highest literary award in the Russian Federation for foreign literature.

Macedonian language scholars from Albania, Bulgaria, Italy, Japan, China, Poland, the Republic of Korea, Romania, the Russian Federation, the USA, Slovenia, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine, Hungary, Croatia, and the Czech Republic will explore the Macedonian language, literature, and culture, while 81 participants of the 51st International Scientific Conference will contribute to the development of Macedonian studies as an academic discipline.

This year's Summer School Program introduces a renewed concept with a wealth of new content. Alongside the standard mandatory classes, which include practical exercises, lectures, elective courses, and ambient education in the beautiful settings of Ohrid’s cultural and historical heritage, the Seminar will also feature promotions, encounters with artists and writers, cultural and scientific excursions to significant archaeological and historical locations, a cultural-artistic program, debates, themed evenings, and interactive events.

The 57th Macedonian language summer school this year will mark several important anniversaries: 75 years since the establishment of the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, 150 years since the birth of the prominent Krste Misirkov, 95 years since the birth of the distinguished Gane Todorovski, and 90 years since the birth of the renowned Petre M. Andreevski.

Photo: MIA