Monday, 6 July 2015
The President Veljanoski Opened the 54th Balkan Festival of Folk Songs and Dance
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen,
Excellencies,
Distinguished Mayor of Ohrid,
Distinguished participants in the Festival,
Dear friends,
It is my sincere pleasure to open tonight, with you, the 54th Balkan Festival of Folk Songs and Dance. This folklore event of ours, as the oldest on the Balkan, very successfully represents and affirms the cultural heritage and achievements of the participants’ states and nations in the past 54 years. Indeed, it sounds impressive, that so far over fifty thousand singers, dancers and instrumentalists from all continents participated in this Festival. I will only mention that the most beautiful Ohrid hosted the ensembles from Australia, USA and Canada, Malaysia, Mexico, Costa Rica, Nigeria, to name a few.
Dear friends,
The music, folklore and dance today are a universal civilization category, in other words they are part of the world cultural heritage. But, in the same time they are also significant elements that define, preserve and develop the national identity. The Macedonian people in its historic and statehood development always managed to preserve its folklore, genuine folk music, beautiful song. For centuries our ancestors knew and managed to preserve develop and convey these values as part of our national and cultural identity to the younger generations. I believe that today when we live in our own independent state, above all assisted by the institutions such as the Ministry of Culture, our folklore, songs and dance are successfully conveyed to the younger generations.
Dear friends,
As Macedonian people know to rejoice, but also to grieve through the national song and dance, they openly and sincerely respect cultural and national values of our fellow citizens from other ethnic communities here but also in the region and wider. This event confirms the aforementioned, together with all fifty thousand participants who left a mark in these 54 years of the Balkan Festival of Folk Dance and Songs.
At the end, I would like to wish all participants pleasant stay in Ohrid and conviction that they will take home part of the everlasting spiritual treasure of Ohrid and the Republic of Macedonia.
With these thoughts, distinguished friends, allow me to open the 54th Balkan Festival of Folk Songs and Dance.
Thank you.