Skopje, 6 January 2023 (MIA) — The annual Badnik celebration took place in front of Skopje's St. Clement of Ohrid Cathedral Church earlier on Saturday, with Bozhidar Jankovski, the owner of Diners, as this year's Badnik godfather and actor Atanas Tanovski as toast-giver.

In his speech, Jankovski offered his best wishes to the congregation and urged people to be kind and understand diversity.

"As Badnik godfather, I would like to ask you to show kindness not only today, not only on Christmas Eve, but every day of the year. I ask of you to listen to each other, see each other, understand each other, respect each other, and help each other," Jankovski said.

"Skopje belongs to everyone born in Skopje, but also to everyone who lives here. This diversity makes Skopje a metropolis. And it should stay that way forever," he said.

He asked Skopje-born citizens to accept the kindness and good habits of people who come to live in Skopje from other places and also to show their new neighbors kindness and display their own good habits.

In his Badnik toast, Tanovski wished everyone health, happiness, light, spiritual warmth and kindness.

Skopje Mayor Danela Arsovska wished for a year filled with health, harmony, peace, happiness and joy. "Let's show our neighbors all we would like them to show us. Let's show them what it means to stand in solidarity," she said.

Centar Municipality Mayor Goran Gerasimovski extended his best wishes to Orthodox Christian believers, wishing for health, happiness, friendship, harmony, cooperation, and mutual understanding. mr/