Thursday, 7 July 2016
Address of the President Veljanoski at the 55th Festival of Folk Dance and Song
Ladies and gentlemen,
Distinguished MPs,
Excellences,
Distinguished participants,
Dear friends,
Tonight for me, and I believe for you to, is a great honour and pleasure to mark together the opening of the 55th Jubilee Balkan Festival of Folk Dance and Song. An event, which here and worldwide in these 55 years is recognized in the international catalogue of most significant folk events.
The Festival, through which Macedonian folklore and song is represented at home, regionally and wider, through all meridians of the world. Let me remind you that in the past 55 years folk groups from Europe, USA, Canada, Australia, Australia, Malaysia, Nigeria, to mention just a few, were represented at the Festival.
Perhaps this success is a result of the great treasure carried by the Macedonian national music and folklore. This treasure is raised with the song and the folklore of other ethnicities that live here. Also, it is of similar importance for the success of this Festival, that we are all open to the culture and the cultural values of other people. We respect and cherish those values, but we also share them with others. The culture, and in that framework, the national music and folklore in addition to the national characteristics, carry universal civilization values.
Distinguished friends,
If we look at our history, we can immediately see that the national song and dance were one of the pillars which we built, preserve and develop our national identity on. That is why we are obliged to preserve promote and most importantly - successfully convey to the generations to come our songs and dance. This is particularly important since we live in a dynamic and turbulent period, which at moments causes various issues, dilemmas and even doubts. Nevertheless, the answer to all can be found in our history, culture, Macedonian songs and “Teshkoto” as a symbol of our Macedonian dance.
Allow to once again express acknowledgement and appreciation to the Centre of Culture “Grigor Prlichev”, which organizes this event for the 55th time. Also, allow me with great pleasure and honour to welcome all participant in this jubilee Festival of Folk Dance and Songs from the region and wider. I hope that we as hosts will demonstrate our traditional hospitality, as it was the case so far and that our guests will bring home part of our culture, which in Ohrid abounds.
Distinguished, I proclaim the 55th Balkan Festival of Folk Dance and Song open and I invite you to enjoy in the program of our most respected and world renowned Ensemble of Folk Dances and Songs “Tanets”
Thank you.