Kochani, 25 May 2024 (MIA) — By singing the Yugoslav national anthem and waving flags of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, the oldest members of Kochani's Josip Broz Tito association started Kochani's celebration of May 25, Yugoslavia's Youth Day, and the birthday of Josip Broz Tito, earlier on Saturday.

In a nod to the Baton of Youth tradition in which a baton was carried from town to town across entire Yugoslavia before being handed to Tito on his birthday, a parade of vehicles passed through the Kochani streets carrying the holiday symbol before the participants handed it to the Josip Broz Tito association president Trajan Trendov.

"We are the only ones in Macedonia and in this part of the Balkans who hold an organized celebration of one of our former common state's most beautiful holidays," Trendov said.

"This holiday used to symbolize our togetherness, unity and youthful spirit, as the foundation for the development and progress of all nations and nationalities that were part of SFRY. 

"Unfortunately, today's young people do not know of, and older people seem to want to purposefully forget, the advantages of the times when we could freely, without passports, travel, work and study anywhere from Gevgelija to Triglav, from Subotica to Bar. 

"We were friends then. Today we are divided even in our own country. Nonetheless, as long as we are alive, we will cherish the memory of those times and convey to the younger generation our messages of tolerance and respect," Trendov said.

According to association members, by celebrating May 25 and other Yugoslav holidays, they are not cultivating Yugoslav nostalgia but honoring the period in history when the Macedonian people's centuries-old aspiration to have a state of their own had finally come true.

"Josip Broz Tito's contribution — and that of the party he led — to the recognition of the Macedonian nation and state is indisputable," association member Gjorgi Nikolov said, adding that they were relaying "Tito's message of togetherness and mutual respect so we don't lose what we gained through blood eight decades ago."

The so-called Titovists extended their best wishes to members of other associations across the former Yugoslavia who also celebrate the holiday. mr/