Skopje, 11 October 2025 (MIA) – The nation is celebrating October 11, National Uprising Day, marking 84 years since Oct. 11, 1941, when the National Liberation War and the completion of the birth of the Macedonian state began.

The central celebration will be held at Marko Cepenkov Cultural Center in Prilep, with Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski delivering a speech at the event titled "On the Right Track, for a Homeland with a Future."

In Skopje, the October 11 State Award for outstanding achievements in science, art, economy and other areas of public interest will be given to this year's recipients at an award ceremony in Parliament.

The winners of the 2025 October 11 award are actress Teuta Ajdini-Jegeni, choir conductor Letka Dimovska Polizova, producer Ivo Jankoski, mechanical engineer Konstantin Dimitrov and chemist Gligor Jovanovski.

Fresh flowers will be laid at the Partisan Cemetery Memorial Complex in Skopje, the memorials to Metodija Andonov Chento and to Kuzman Josifovski Pitu, the Mound of the Unbeaten in Prilep and the Memorial Ossuary in Kumanovo.

On Oct. 11, 1941, the first Prilep partisan unit attacked the police station and the telephone network in Prilep, and the next day, the partisans of the Kumanovo unit also organized an attack.

October 11 is considered a continuation of the progressive traditions of the Macedonian freedom-loving people, evident in similar revolts in the 19th and 20th century, but also in efforts made for social and national liberation during the Balkan Wars and the First World War.

By deciding to join the anti-fascist coalition, Macedonia stood on the side of progressive humanity fighting against fascism.

The people won their own freedom. Starting with the first partisan units, the National Liberation Army of Macedonia by the end of the 4-year war was turned into a well-organized, 110,000-strong army with high-ranking military formations.

The years of struggle were crowned by decisions reached at the First Session of ASNOM in 1944 under which the centuries-long ideals for a Macedonian state had become a reality.

The country in 2025 is marking the National Uprising Day as a member of the United Nations and NATO and is expecting to hold its first intergovernmental conference, marking the start of negotiations for European Union membership.