Skopje, 27 February 2023 (MIA) — A three-day event dedicated to the UNESCO-recognized Intangible Cultural Heritage custom of exchanging good wishes and martinki amulets on March 1 will begin at Skopje’s Capitol Mall, presenting an exhibit of amulets from several countries, a crafts fair, and a series of children’s workshops for making the red and white braided bracelets. 

According to organizers, Haemus Center for Scientific Research and Promotion of Culture, the ‘Happy Grandma March Day’ event is in its tenth year.

“In these ten years,” Haemus director Vasilka Dimitrovska said, “we have created a lot of materials on this custom, including a series of picture books and coloring books for children and young people in several languages as well as an animated video with translation in Albanian, Turkish and English.” 

Haemus also recently released a study titled "Mapping the Martinki Custom in Skopje and the Skopje Region." 

Committed to safeguard this regional tradition, Haemus for its “Grandma March Day” project was awarded as one of ten best European Heritage Stories 2020 by the Council of Europe and the European Commission. mr/