Sixty Macedonian language scholars from 17 countries will be learning Macedonian from newly released Macedonian language textbooks at the Ohrid summer school of Ss. Cyril and Methodius University’s 55nd International Seminar on Macedonian Language, Literature and Culture, writes MIA.
The new textbooks, written by Simon Sazdov, Gordana Aleksova, and Vesna Mojsova Chepishevska, were named after works by Macedonian poet Blazhe Koneski.
The state university’s Faculty of Philology dean Aneta Duchevska will speak at the book launch. The textbooks — Sazdov’s “Teshkoto” [“The Difficult One”] for beginners, Aleksova’s “Lozje” [“The Vineyard”] for intermediate-level speakers, and Mojsova Chepishevska’s “Vezilka” [“The Embroideress”] for advanced speakers — will also be used at foreign universities offering Macedonian language and literature classes.
The seminar will host several other book launches, as well, including one for “Ohrid Storytellers” and “A Book on the Holy Brothers Cyril and Methodius.” The books were edited by Dimitar Pandev and Slave Gjorgo Dimoski. Ohrid Mayor Kiril Pecakov and Macedonian Writers Association president Hristo Petreski will speak at this launch, which is also marking MWA’s 75th anniversary. Seminar director Mojsova Chepishevska will speak at the launch for „Македонская литература XX – начала XXI века: Очерки истории,“ Russian scholar Alla Sheshken’s new book of essays on contemporary Macedonian literature. To encourage more scholars to research Macedonian culture, literature, and language, the seminar will offer lectures on topics ranging from literature through painting and music to fashion — as well as a translation workshop.
Lecturers include Elka Jacheva Ulchar, Lasko Dzhurovski, Laze Tripkov, Iskra Panovska Dimkova, Kristina Nikolovska, Katerina Veljanovska, Marija Paunova, Vladimir Martinovski, and Velika Stojkova Serafimovska. Lidija Georgieva will give a lecture on Macedonian fashion design as part of national culture, titled “Do You Speak Macedonian Fashion?” and Lidija Tanushevska will run the translation workshop.
To mark the 150th birth anniversary of Goce Delchev and the 70th birth anniversary of Goran Stefanovski, Slavcho Kovilovski will speak about Delchev as a cultural icon and Natasha Avramovska will speak about the local and the universal in Stefanovski’s plays. During an organized visit to St. Naum monastery, Gjoko Gjorgjeski will give a lecture on St. Naum.
Participants will also attend the 34th Poetry Night in Velestovo festival. Attending the 2022 summer school will be Macedonian language students, researchers, linguists and literary translators from Austria, Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland, South Korea, Romania, Russia, USA, Slovakia, Slovenia, Serbia, Turkey, Hungary, Croatia and the Czech Republic.
They arrive and start classes on Aug. 17. This year’s summer school lecturers are Borche Arsov, Gordana Aleksova, Boban Karapejovski, Bojan Petrevski, Ivan Antonovski and Marija Pandeva.
They will teach Macedonian language lessons for beginners, intermediate and advanced speakers; a course on Macedonian grammar; and a course on Macedonian literature and culture. Sashko Jovanovski will teach a special course on Macedonian folk dances.
President Stevo Pendarovski, the state university’s rector Nikola Jankulovski, and Mojsova Chepishevska will speak at the official opening at the Ohrid Congress Center on Aug. 19 at noon. After the summer school ends on Sept. 2, Macedonian studies scholars will attend the seminar’s 49th International Scholarly Conference on Sept. 4—5. The International Seminar on Macedonian Language, Literature and Culture was founded in 1967.
