Ohrid, 24 May 2023 (MIA) - We have chosen Plaoshnik, the site of the first Slavic university, as the place of this year's May 24 observances because the eternal truth about the origin of our Macedonian language, literacy, culture and identity echoes here, said Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski at the main event on occasion of the Day of Pan-Slavic Educators Ss.Cyril and Methodius on Wednesday.

"It is here, at this Macedonian soil, where Saints Cyril and Methodius created the Glagolitic, created literacy that led to the contemporary Macedonian literacy. It is from this piece of land where we find the legacy of our Macedonian people," said PM Kovachevski.

He said that St.Clement set up the Ohrid literary school following the footsteps of his teachers Ss.Cyril and Methodius. This had been the first Slavic university at the time, developing into one of the largest and most influential cultural centers of Slavic literacy.

"Manuscripts of the Ohrid school can today be found in almost all renowned libraries and institutions across the globe. I am certain that St.Clement and his successors - Krste Misirkov, Blazhe Koneski, Slavko Janevski, Petre Andreevski, Aco Shopov, Kocho Racin - would be equally proud of us, because as Koneski said 'language is our homeland," noted Kovachevski.

He added that the language has been protected through difficult but bold statehood decisions.

"We have ensured our territorial borders through the NATO membership and then protected the Macedonian language and identity through the start of the EU accession negotiations. We are committed to the European path and ensuring a European way of life, here, at home. We want to see the youth live, study and work in their homeland, so that people are here to speak, write and create in their mother tongue, today and for all times," underlined Kovachevski.

A number of events themed "Letter is Our Universe" mark the Day of Pan-Slavic Educators, Ss.Cyril and Methodius, the founders of Slavic literacy and credited with the cultural development of all Slavic nations.

Ss. Cyril and Methodius are credited with creating the Glagolitic alphabet that was used to translate the Bible in the Old Slavonic language and spread across Central and Eastern Europe. Their work was essential to creating the Cyrillic alphabet now in use throughout much of Eastern Europe and this earned them the title of Apostles to the Slavs and co-patron saints of Europe.

Photo: MIA and screenshot of main event