ohrid, 26 october 2007

opening speech at the exhibition "good morning, balkan" in national gallery of macedonia in after a lot of important things and beautiful occasions ohrid has always showed up itself as a real center of events with european and worldwide character. just these days, exactly the afternoon and this evening our beautiful town, cultural and spiritual center of macedonia is thrifty of value happenings for the present time and future heritage of civilization.

actually the world conference for  different dialogs of religion and civilization in the frame of tonight’s exhibition, by artists of south east europe, with no doubt they confirm and give us for the rights to pride our self  feel like citizens of world.

that feel of pride can possess only people with cosmopolitan spirit who is anxious and flies up above area. also this feeling confirms another truth: ohrid the crossroad town of civilization among centuries; treasure town of culture-historical heritage – it is not just a history, it is not a town of that what is created with centuries. ohrid today lives with the same spiritual potency too. well treating of past traditions, ohrid today creates values as a pledge of future and following generations. strictly this meeting, the exhibition named “good morning, balkan” strongly confirms that truth and our determination for which we work untiringly as citizens and local government.

dear friends because of that, as a mayor i engaged this exhibition,  that have seen athens, trieste, tirana and other centers of balkan, transfer this exhibition in ohrid too. this exhibition is a project of “open world” supported by national institutions of republic of austria, it is not just a summary of artistic pictures of 20 authors from balkan, austria and other european countries. at the same time it is witness about how strong the culture connects people erasing borders and barriers but it impulses much more in processes euro-integration in balkan at all. as for me and all the others that will see this exhibition, this event brings a huge contribution of ours effort for affirmation of ohrid as a town of culture and spiritual center with all things that possesses and dos that now, belongs to values of civilization at this time and the times coming up.

i express acknowledgement to competent institution of republic of austria to “open world” forum,  president mr. fatmir velaj and to all who  contributed make us thrifty of this exhibition. so, we and they, once more confirm that ohrid not only in past but also today, presents crossroad where civilizations meet each other. i’m convinced this beautiful town owing to this events will be suchlike in the future and forever.