Skopje, 6 March 2026 (MIA) — Parliament Speaker Afrim Gashi, French Ambassador Christophe Le Rigoleur and Swiss Ambassador Christoph Sommer addressed the "Young Francophone Parliament" workshop held Friday in Parliament, with Gashi highlighting the legislature's commitment to the French language and culture through its membership in the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie, an association of the parliaments of Francophone countries.

According to the parliament speaker, this engagement extends beyond language.

"This does not only mean nurturing and further affirming the French language in Macedonia, but also means promoting peace, democracy, human rights and cooperation between nations and different cultures. 

"Macedonia is fully committed to these values ​​and as a multiethnic society we are open to different ethnic, linguistic and cultural identities. So we understand the need to affirm uniqueness, with all its differences, through interaction and exchange with others," Gashi said.

Addressing students, the parliament speaker encouraged them to learn about the role MPs have and "feel the power of a lawmaker's word and legitimacy."

"I hope some of you will be inspired to become MPs yourselves and change societies and our citizens' lives for the better," Gashi said.

He also urged students to discuss critical issues like peer violence, fake news and lack of job opportunities leading to youth emigration. He said successful reforms in these areas required active participation and encouraged them to freely voice their opinions during the debate that was to follow. 

The two ambassadors weighed in on the value of diversity and respectful dialogue.

French Ambassador Le Rigoleur said the French language, much like any other language in its own way, enables a nuanced expression of one's personal opinions. 

He warned against the echo chambers of social media algorithms, encouraging young people to develop the capacity of engaging with opposing views.

"This is very important for an institution like this one," Le Rigoleur said, adding that "our contribution to a healthy democratic society is realized through each individual's capacity to be able to accept opinions different from ours and to be able to have healthy conversations with people who have opinions different from ours."

Swiss Ambassador Sommer said multilingualism was essential for promoting mutual respect. While French is the mother tongue for 25% of Swiss citizens, he said, the nation’s identity is defined by a shared will to live together rather than by language or religion. 

"Multilingualism favors dialogue, mutual respect and inclusive governance, lessons that we are always proud to share at the international level," Sommer said, highlighting La Francophonie's key role in strengthening democracy and peace. 

"We are happy that North Macedonia is part of this international organization. It is an additional bridge between our two countries," he added.

Ivanka Vasilevska, head of the Macedonian delegation to the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie, added that promoting French culture not only promotes the French language but also promotes and protects freedom and democracy. 

She highlighted the importance of the workshop in allowing young people to speak in Parliament, discussing national and global issues and offering fresh perspectives.

"The debate will allow us to hear their thoughts and suggestions to overcome the problems related to these topics," Vasilevska said, adding that the debaters' views could help shape future legislation. mr/