Kumanovo, 2 August 2025 (MIA) - The first session of the Anti-fascist Assembly for the National Liberation of Macedonia (ASNOM) is a symbol of the Macedonian ages-long aspiration for a free, independent, democratic Republic of Macedonia. ASNOM is a symbol of self-determination, of the Macedonian people's struggle. The first ASNOM session took place in monastery "St. Prohor Pchinjski" as the supreme, legislative and executive body that took significant decisions for the development of the Macedonian state, an event of invaluable significance for the citizens.

"This event in our history marked the end of a long-standing period of battles, uprisings, renaissance processes, validating the national state-legal affirmation of the Macedonian people and its life in its own state," says Marija Zhivachki, senior custodian and director of the Kumanovo Museum.

The ASNOM Memorial Center in Pelince was built in 2004, on occasion of ASNOM's 60th anniversary, in a political decision that followed series of political turmoil by the end of the 1990s because of the issue that Serbia took around the celebration of August 2, Ilinden, in the St. Prohor Pchinjski monastery, which the Macedonian communist authorities handed over to the northern neighbor. The museum includes the memorial room that depicts the atmosphere from the historic moment that will forever stay in the Macedonians' memory. The foundations of the modern Macedonian state were laid on 2 August 1944, through the establishment of the People's Republic of Macedonia within the People's Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The Presidium adopted decisions, a rulebook and a declaration that marked the institutional process of building a Macedonian state.

"Today, eight decades later, ASNOM represents the most significant historic accomplishment in the struggle for creation of a national state," adds Zhivachki.

ASNOM was founded on the sacrifice and ideals of the Macedonian fighters who fought against fascism and were on the right side of history, as part of the international antifascist coalition. The anti-fascist assembly marked the end of the suffering of the Macedonian people, its enslavement, its injustice throughout history.

Memorial room - key decisions

The ASNOM Memorial Center includes the memorial room that provides details, documents and photographs of the celebrations of the people and the fighters in the monastery "St. Prohor Pchinjski" that is located only a couple of kilometers from Pelince.

"The original documents from the first session of ASNOM are kept in the State Archives of the Republic of Macedonia. Displayed are copies of the seal and copies of the decisions taken during the first session of ASNOM. The Assembly's significance is invaluable because it was the supreme legislative and executive body," says Zhivachki.

The decisions include a declaration of the Macedonian language as the official language of the Macedonian state and declaration of August 2 as a national holiday.

"This date was very important for the Macedonian citizens and it was no coincidence that it was declared a holiday. ASNOM itself is founded on the beliefs, sacrifice and heroism of the Ilinden fighters, and the values of the Ilinden Uprising that took place on 2 August 1903," says Zhivachki.

Preparations for ASNOM

The Board for preparation of the session was tasked to set up people's liberation councils comprised of elected delegates, the criteria being their outstanding efforts during World War II and to be trusted among the people.

"The delegates came from all parts of Macedonia, 115 of them, with 60 attending the first session. The oldest member, Panko Brashnarov, opened the session, saying 'my soul is filled with joy as I have witnessed the two Ilindens'. A Presidium was elected, with Metodija Andonov-Chento as president, Panko Brashnarov and Emanuel Chuchkov as vice-presidents, Ljubomir Arsov and Vladimir Polezhinovski as secretaries. The first president of independent Macedonia, Kiro Gligorov, was the records clerk," says Zhivachki.

The Board also had other tasks, such as managing and networking the people's liberation councils, sending announcements to the Macedonian population, informing the citizens on the preparations for the Assembly, cooperating with the Supreme HQ of the Yugoslav National War of Liberation.

The St. Prohor Pchinjski monastery was chosen as the site because it was one of the few liberated territories at the time, stretching between Kumanovo, Kriva Palanka and Vranje. The preparations for the announcement of ASNOM were carried out in the school in the Kumanovo village of Ramno, where the first session of the ASNOM Presidium was held on 6 August 1944.

First session of ASNOM

The first session of ASNOM began in the afternoon of 2 August 1944, the room decorated with Macedonian and Yugoslav flags, and pictures of Goce Delchev, Josip Broz Tito, Winston Churchill, Franklin Roosevelt and Joseph Stalin.

"Representatives of the U.S. and UK military mission, the Supreme HQ of the National War of Liberation and the partisan units of Macedonia were also present. The attendance of the allies reaffirmed the legitimacy of the political will and the right for an own country," says Zhivachki.

The ASNOM Manifesto was produced at the session, reading that "the eternal ideal of the Macedonian people has been achieved", and "the Macedonian people establish their own country for the first time since Tsar Samuil, the Macedonian people will, for the first time, feel in Macedonia as in its own house, becoming a free nation in a free state for the first time on record". This is the biggest benefit in a people's history, earned during the gigantic anti-fascist front and the blood of Macedonia's best sons and with the help of the other peoples of Yugoslavia, confirmed by a federative community of the peoples of Yugoslavia."

Decision on declaring Macedonian as an official language and a declaration on citizens' fundamental rights

The ASNOM benefits are far-reaching, its decisions reflect the Macedonian people's will for freedom, independence, progress, but also promoting unity and equality.

The Presidium passed a declaration on the citizens' fundamental rights in a democratic Macedonia, in which citizens are equal before laws, regardless of their background, the rights of minorities were also ensured, as was the freedom of each individual, the freedom of speech, the freedom of religion, the freedom of association, the right to vote, namely the key principles of every democratic and free country.

One of the key decisions is the one on introducing the Macedonian language as the official tongue in the state and declaring Ilinden as a national holiday of the Macedonian people and state, a symbol of its struggle for final liberation from slavery and creation of a free and sovereign federal state.

ASNOM Memorial Center

The Memorial Center, located in the village of Pelince near the Pchinja river, captures all aspects of the ASNOM session, a couple of kilometers from the authentic venue of St. Prohor Pchinjski" monastery.

The complex includes playgrounds, a restaurant, amphitheater and a museum, architect Georgi Konstantinovski being its designer. Its exterior wall displays a 140m2 mosaic named "Macedonia" by Rubens Korubin. The museum holds a copy of the room where the first session of ASNOM had taken place, next to a room displaying documents from the creation of the Macedonian state.

"In light of the Ilinden celebrations, we are obligated to highlight that the 1903 and 1944 Ilindens are embedded in the foundations of all our accomplishments, victories and successes, in all walks of life. This is a work that all generations can be proud of. History is not only the past, it is the foundation for the future. I invite everyone to visit the museum that stand as a living testimony of our history and identity," underlines Zhivachki.

Aleksandra Maksimovska

Photo: MIA