The All-Macedonian Council was held in Melnik dedicated to the great Macedonian revolutionary
- The event turned into a strong and clear message against hatred, discrimination and against all attempts at assimilation, emphasizing that the root of the long-standing problems lies precisely in the systematic denial of the existence of the Macedonian minority and nation. Through their presence and words, the participants emphasized the essence of the struggle for rights as an act of dignity and resistance, which is not only aimed at protecting the Macedonians in Bulgaria but also at creating a just society for all citizens, regardless of their ethnic origin. This struggle, at the same time, is also a contribution to the common European idea of equality and tolerance, and its echo spreads beyond the borders – to all Macedonians, wherever they live.
The role of Jane Sandanski as a symbol of the Macedonian struggle for freedom and justice was highlighted again at the traditional all-Macedonian council dedicated to the great Macedonian revolutionary and national leader, also known as the Emperor of Pirin, which was held yesterday in Melnik, Pirin Macedonia, Republic of Bulgaria.
The event began with the laying of flowers on Sandanski’s grave at the Rozhensky Monastery, where the attendees paid tribute to his work and sacrifice. The main part of the council was held in Melnik, in front of the Duke’s monument. At the ceremony, a suitable speech was read in honor of Sandanski, after which the council continued with a rich cultural program filled with Macedonian songs and dances, which conveyed the living tradition and the spirit of togetherness between Macedonians from different regions.
The event was filled with emotions, symbolism and a sense of unity, reminding that the work of Jane Sandanski remains an eternal signpost for the freedom-loving spirit of the Macedonian people. The organizers of the meeting were OMO “Ilinden” – Pirin, the Macedonian International Movement for Human Rights, OMO “Ilinden”, “Ancient Macedonians”, the Society of Repressed Macedonians in Bulgaria, the Macedonian Cultural Club “Nikola Vaptsarov”, the Society for the Protection of Basic Human Rights, the Macedonian Discussion Club for Ethnic Tolerance and the Human Rights Committee “Tolerance”.
A platform for the affirmation of the Macedonian identity
The council in Melnik completely ruled out in advance any possibility that even the tiniest elements would exist on the basis of which some ill-intentioned subject or institution would be able to label the council as “an expression of extreme nationalism or separatism”! That’s why the council, extraordinarily meticulously organized, looked in its entirety like a sublime holiday of dignity and in the direction of the democratic demand for the realization of the human and minority rights of the Macedonians in the Republic of Bulgaria. He became a living testimony of the survival and unity of the Macedonian community, symbolically connecting history with the contemporary struggle for recognition and equality. Those present emphasized the essence of this tradition as a holiday of communion and brotherhood between nations, recalling the eternal message of Jane Sandanski that “nations are brothers and should live as brothers”. With its symbolism, the council went beyond the framework of a simple commemoration and turned into a platform for the affirmation of the right to identity, culture and language, as well as a call for tolerance and common life. He is proof that the Macedonian community in Bulgaria does not seek divisions, but recognition and respect, and that the fight for human rights is a fight for all citizens, regardless of their origin.
– The traditional All-Macedonian Council in Melnik is a celebration of our survival as Macedonians in Bulgaria, of Macedonian unity and the idea that nations are brothers and should live as brothers. Jane is a symbol for the Macedonians in Bulgaria because he was born in emigration to Bulgaria from a father who was a hero in the Macedonian Kresna Uprising, born in Vlahi, Pirin Macedonia – and thus he is a representative of both the Macedonians in Pirin Macedonia and the Macedonian emigration to Bulgaria. But he left Bulgaria and came to Macedonia, in the Pirin area to fight for Macedonia and the Macedonians, showing that blood does not become water. He also fought for the rights of all nationalities under the mentioned motto for peoples as brothers – said Stojko Stojkov, a prominent Macedonian activist and historian from Pirin Macedonia, who fights for the human and minority rights of Macedonians in Bulgaria and is co-chairman of the organization OMO “Ilinden” – Pirin.
Sent a strong message against hatred and discrimination
With that, the event turned into a strong and clear message against hatred, discrimination and against all attempts at assimilation, emphasizing that the root of long-standing problems lies precisely in the systematic denial of the existence of the Macedonian minority and the nation. Through their presence and words, the participants emphasized the essence of the struggle for rights as an act of dignity and resistance, which is not only aimed at protecting the Macedonians in Bulgaria but also at creating a just society for all citizens, regardless of their ethnic origin. This struggle, at the same time, is also a contribution to the common European idea of equality and tolerance, and its echo spreads beyond the borders – to all Macedonians wherever they live. Thus, the council in Melnik became a symbol of resistance against denial and a call for recognition, respect and brotherhood, in the spirit of Jane Sandanski’s message that nations are brothers and should live as brothers.
– The only thing that the campaign against Macedonians and Macedonia achieves is sowing hatred. Therefore gathered in honor of the man who taught that “nations are brothers and as brothers should live” – we say no to hatred. The root of all problems is the denial of the existence of the Macedonian minority and nation. That is why such a policy of denial, assimilation and discrimination should be put to an end, it is a high duty not only of the Macedonians in Bulgaria but also of every Bulgarian citizen. With our fight for the rights of Macedonians today, we are contributing not only to us but also to all citizens in Bulgaria regardless of their origin, we are also contributing to all Macedonians wherever they are – stressed Stojko Stojkov. D.St.
