The Bulgarian Cultural Club – Skopje ( mk, Бугарски културен клуб – Скопје) is a

non-governmental organization A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from government. They are typically nonprofit entities, and many of them are active in h ...

in the

Republic of North Macedonia North Macedonia, ; sq, Maqedonia e Veriut, (Macedonia before February 2019), officially the Republic of North Macedonia,, is a country in Southeast Europe. It gained independence in 1991 as one of the successor states of Yugoslavia. It ...

established on 4 May 2008, and registered on 22 May 2008. Its executive board is chaired by Lazar Mladenov. The organization has local branches in

Štip Štip ( mk, Штип ) is the largest urban agglomeration in the eastern part of North Macedonia, serving as the economic, industrial, entertainment and educational focal point for the surrounding municipalities. As of the 2002 census, the city ...

Bitola Bitola (; mk, Битола ) is a city in the southwestern part of North Macedonia. It is located in the southern part of the Pelagonia valley, surrounded by the Baba, Nidže, and Kajmakčalan mountain ranges, north of the Medžitlija-Níki ...

, and other cities.

Mission

The Club's mission is to foster changes and awareness in the Republic of Macedonia about the necessity for bringing closer of, and inter-cultural tolerance between the

culture Culture () is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits of the individuals in these groups.Tyl ...

s of the neighbouring countries:

Republic of Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedon ...

and

Activities

Representatives of the Club took part in a public debate on the integration of

ethnic minority The term 'minority group' has different usages depending on the context. According to its common usage, a minority group can simply be understood in terms of demographic sizes within a population: i.e. a group in society with the least number o ...

communities held in

Strumica Strumica ( mk, Струмица, ) is the largest city2002 census results
in English and Macedon ...

, gathered and publicized data on some burial locations and graves of Bulgarian militaries killed in

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

on the territory of the present Republic of Macedonia. The organization is campaigning for the protection and restoration of the Bulgarian cultural monuments in the Republic of Macedonia. The Club took position on the issue of naming dispute with

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...

, human rights issues related to Macedonian Bulgarians, and on the issue of a controversial encyclopedia published in 2009 by the

Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts The Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts ( mk, Македонска Академија на Науките и Уметностите, МАНУ) is an academic institution in North Macedonia. History The Academy of Sciences and Arts was establ ...

(MANU). The Bulgarian Cultural Club – Skopje has published reports on the ongoing human rights violations and intolerance towards citizens of Bulgarian ethnicity in the context of European and Atlantic integration of the Republic of Macedonia, including the ethnic-based harassment of Club activists such as Miroslav Rizinski and Mile Yovanoski. The Club proposed to the Mayor of Ohrid the erection of a monument commemorating the

2009 Lake Ohrid boat accident On 5 September 2009, the ''Ilinden'' sightseeing boat with a group of 57 foreign tourists on board, of which 55 were Bulgarian, sank in Lake Ohrid, southwestern Republic of Macedonia. Fifteen people died. The sinking of the ''Ilinden'' was the de ...

in which 15 Bulgarian tourists were killed with many more saved by nearby vessels. The Bulgarian Cultural Club – Skopje took also a position on the "insufficient care for the Bulgarian science, research and innovation," and controversial intentions of the

Bulgarian government The Council of Ministers ( bg, Министерски съвет, ''Ministerski savet'') is the main authority of the executive power in the Republic of Bulgaria. It consists of the Prime Minister of Bulgaria and all the specialized ministers ...

perceived as a step towards the closure of the

Bulgarian Academy of Sciences The Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (abbreviated BAS; bg, Българска академия на науките, ''Balgarska akademiya na naukite'', abbreviated ''БАН'') is the National Academy of Bulgaria, established in 1869. The Academy ...

. The Club in 2011 announced that they may invite the

Bulgarian Orthodox Church The Bulgarian Orthodox Church ( bg, Българска православна църква, translit=Balgarska pravoslavna tsarkva), legally the Patriarchate of Bulgaria ( bg, Българска патриаршия, links=no, translit=Balgarsk ...

to restore its Macedonian

Diocese In Ecclesiastical polity, church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided Roman province, pro ...

in service to the Bulgarians in the Republic of Macedonia (now

North Macedonia North Macedonia, ; sq, Maqedonia e Veriut, (Macedonia before February 2019), officially the Republic of North Macedonia,, is a country in Southeast Europe. It gained independence in 1991 as one of the successor states of Socialist Feder ...

).No place for a Bulgarian para-church in Macedonia.
Nova Makedonija Daily, 25 January 2011. (in Macedonian)

Notes and references

External links

Bulgarian Cultural Club – Skopje
Website (in Macedonian)
State Agency For Bulgarians Abroad
Website. (in Bulgarian)
Bulgarian Cultural Club
Koritarov Online, 11 August 2009. (in Bulgarian) {{DEFAULTSORT:Bulgarian Cultural Club - Skopje Ethnic organizations based in North Macedonia Cultural organizations based in North Macedonia Culture of Bulgaria Macedonian Bulgarians Organizations established in 2008 2008 establishments in the Republic of Macedonia Bulgaria–North Macedonia relations

Mission

Activities

See also

Notes and references

External links