Skopje, 23 November 2022 (MIA) – It is very important we all recognize the fact that all educational systems in the region contain stereotypes about neighboring countries. Therefore, there is no better way for a person to develop than by studying in a multicultural environment and exchanging the things they have learned with their friends and colleagues, said Ambassador to North Macedonia, Angel Angelov, in his address at the Youth and Education Cooperation conference on Wednesday. The Youth and Education Cooperation conference is being held as part of the “Demystifying the (un)neighborly relations on the path to the EU: The case of North Macedonia and Bulgaria” project, implemented by the Center for European Strategies – Eurothink Skopje. Ambassador Angelov stressed that presenting the public with positive examples of the current cooperation between Sofia and Skopje would be of great value to both societies, especially in the context of the better dynamics in relations, and the French proposal. “Bilateral cooperation in education has been a key priority for Bulgaria ever since North Macedonia’s independence. Recent proof of this is the new Program on cooperation in education, which was signed by the ministries on 22 March 2022, enabling students from both countries to study for free at the public institutions and universities. This is a result of our shared understanding that only by taking down this artificial wall that exists between our societies can we provide greater opportunities for our citizens in the region,” said Angelov. The Ambassador stated that currently there are several initiatives which will make it possible for Macedonian students to receive widely recognized European degrees from Bulgarian universities. Advisor at the Canadian Embassy in Belgrade, David Norman, stated this is the third Eurothink project which is being financially supported by the Embassy through the Canadian Fund for Local Initiatives, and expressed his satisfaction that it is focused on the youth. Eurothink Executive Director Dimitar Nikolovski said this is only the initial event of the “Demystifying the (un)neighborly relations on the path to the EU: The case of North Macedonia and Bulgaria” project, which is a part of their program for regional cooperation and good neighborly relations. “The aim of the project is to identify the disinformation present in the Macedonian public space regarding the relations between the two countries and especially regarding the EU accession process itself, to counter the harmful and anti-European narratives that arise from these relations. This is actually the main mission of Eurothink – the Europeanization of Macedonian society,” added Nikolovski. The project will lead to monitoring of the beginning of the EU accession negotiations, eight analyses on the relations created by prominent intellectuals and activists from the country and several affirmative actions with the focus on the positive aspects of the cooperation between the two countries, such as youth cooperation in education, mainly through the European cooperation programs. ad/ik/