THE THIRD WINTER SCHOOL FOR THE MACEDONIAN LANGUAGE OPENED WITH POEMS BY THE GREAT ACO SHOPOV
"Macedonia is the destiny of the world, the world is the destiny of Macedonia." With this verse of the great Atso Shopov, published forty-three years ago, the director of the International Seminar for Macedonian Language, Literature and Culture at the University "St. Cyril and Methodius" in Skopje (MSMJLK at UKIM), prof. Dr. Vesna Mojsova-Chepishevska, started her address yesterday at the official opening of the Third Winter School of MSMJLK at UKIM. She mentioned that this verse seems to reflect the meaning of the School, which this year is in honor of Shopov, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of his birth.
- In all the time so far, it is precisely the foreign Macedonianists and Slavists who have made it possible in a beautiful sense to realize the idea that "the world is the destiny of Macedonia" - through their relentless efforts to make the Macedonian word heard and understood in foreign cultural environments. And that even in moments when, as Shopov would say, we also felt that "in Macedonia / all the world's dilemmas are made and broken, / and the world is burdened by Macedonia's problems". But also that "Macedonia shares the fate of the world, / and the world collides with innumerable Macedonian destinies." But at the same time, through their determination to devote themselves to Macedonian studies and for them to be a lifelong commitment, our homeland also became the destiny of the world, because the efforts of foreign Macedonianists and Slavists are realized not only within the framework of university centers and on the international scientific scene, but also in general through the affirmation of the Macedonian word and Macedonian thought throughout the world - noted Mojsova-Chepishevska.
She dedicated and addressed her address to them - to the foreign Macedonians and Slavists who are participants of the School.
- Today, through this Third Winter School, and indeed the whole world has stopped in this small lump of land, which we feel as our homeland. Because today, virtually, but also spiritually, with thought and word, united in the determination and desire to study the Macedonian language, literature and culture, all of you from Europe, America, Asia and Australia are here, in the south, in his and ours, but I am confident, already your Macedonia. I wish that in the next six days, through the teaching that we will provide you, you will love it even more and get to know it even better, the way you experience it, with all your passion for Macedonian studies that brought you to this School, but also the way what Shopov was experiencing - with the old monuments of culture, with all the diversity, with all the riches, depths, paths and destinies - Mojsova-Chepishevska told the participants of the School.
The President of the State Stevo Pendarovski, under whose auspices the national program "2023, Year in Honor of Aco Shopov" is being implemented, also addressed the official opening of the School, as well as the rector of the University "St. Cyril and Methodius" in Skopje (UKIM), prof. Dr. Nikola Jankulovski.
- Without a doubt, the wealth of the Macedonian language can best be seen through the written word and the achievements of our literary authors such as Shopov, who through his poetic expression opens new perspectives for songs, which, in themselves, in addition to the excellent knowledge of the language in which are written, reflect great dedication and creativity. Enjoying the splendor of his verses is the best way to feel the beauty of the Macedonian language and its enormous potential.
The very fact that the Winter School is attended by more than 40 participants from 17 countries of the world testifies to the interest in learning the Macedonian language, which we should all be particularly proud of.
Without hesitation, among the participants we have new affirmers of the Macedonian language, Macedonian literature and culture, but also friends of our country and its beauties. At the same time, the expressed interest also reminds us of the obligation we have to nurture the Macedonian language and to constantly work on its preservation and advancement - emphasized President Pendarovski.
In his address to the participants, the rector of the University "St. Cyril and Methodius" in Skopje (UKIM), prof. Dr. Nikola Jankulovski, said that Shopov, as one of the central figures of the Macedonian XNUMXth century, laid the foundations of bridges between Macedonian and a large number of foreign cultures.
- We, as his descendants, have an obligation to maintain and strengthen those bridges. But let's build new ones too! In our time, I think there is no other subject that, at the academic level, advocates and contributes to the maintenance and strengthening of existing bridges and building new ones precisely through language, speech and cultural values, as much as the International Seminar, which is the organizer of this School, which is undoubtedly confirms through the results of cooperation and contribution with foreign Macedonians and Slavists - both in foreign cultural environments and in our country. Hence, with this School, among other things, part of what Shopov and his generation of cultural actors advocated for in the middle of the last century is being realized at the academic level - emphasized Jankulovski
The third winter school of MSMJLK at UKIM is held virtually and will last until January 28, and is the first activity of the national program "2023, Year in honor of Aco Shopov". More than 40 foreign Macedonians from 17 countries are participating in it.
