Skopje, 28 January 2023 (MIA) – The third winter school of Macedonian organized by the state university’s International Seminar for Macedonian Language, Literature and culture, which was organized to celebrate Aco Shopov’s birth centenary, ended on Saturday.  

“I will start by quoting one of our greatest, most respected professors, our great Macedonian scholar, Blazhe Koneski, who said that our language is our true homeland. I’m glad that through the Macedonian language you also got another homeland, as well as a friend. The past few days, you’ve done quite intense work. The Macedonian language may not be among the five most difficult languages in the world, but your effort, will and interest to affirm it are impressive and deserve every respect,” Minister of Culture Bisera Kostadinovska-Stojchevska told participants at the online event. 

According to the Minister, the Macedonian classes have made it possible to learn not only about the language, but also the people, the culture and tradition.  

Commenting on the significance of the centenary, she stressed the commitment to activities that will follow after the third winter school of Macedonian as part of the national program titled “2023, A Year Honoring Aco Shopov”.  

Karla Škrlec from Croatia, who expressed hope that many more such schools will be organized, as well as International Seminar for Macedonian Language, Literature and Culture director Vesna Mojsova Chepishevska and Shopov’s daughter, Jasmina, were among the participants who addressed the event.  

Attending the online classes were Macedonian studies scholars and undergraduates from China, Vietnam, the United States, Australia, Turkey, Poland, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, the Russian Federation, Croatia, Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.   

The Macedonian language seminar’s winter school was founded in 2021.