On the occasion of marking the 21st anniversary of the Ohrid Agreement, the Ministry of Political System and Inter-Community Relations is organizing the School for Young Leaders “Peace Forum Dialogue”. The school opened its doors for the young people in Mavrovo and is being held from 10-12 August, while it is planned for it to turn into a traditional organization along with the “Peace Festival”, which will be held on August 13 at Skanderbeg Square in Skopje.
Within the framework of the School for Young Leaders, lectures were given to the young participants by Lidija Georgieva, PhD, Gordan Georgiev, PhD, Dzelal Hodzic, Robert Alagjozovski, Prof. Jusuf Zejneli, PhD, Prof. Rizvan Sulejmani, PhD, Assistant Professor Vedije Ratkoceri, PhD, and Xhabir Deralla.
Deputy Minister Xhabir Doko at the opening highlighted that this school represents an opportunity for the youth to acquire new knowledge about the events in society.
“I had the pleasure to address the young participants, who are the driving force of society. This school is an opportunity for the youth to acquire new knowledge on the events in society. I wish them success in the following days and I expect for the cooperation to continue in the future as well” – emphasized Doko.
Professor at the Faculty of Philosophy Lidija Georgievska, spoke about the Ohrid Agreement and its endurance. Georgieva outlined that recognition should be given to those who implemented this agreement that brought peace in our country.
“Recognition should be given to the “actors” who carried out and implemented the Ohrid Agreement. We have agreements that last only one month, those are bad agreements”, said Georgieva, who also added that better solutions should always be sought.
Professor at the Faculty of Law and Political Science and former politician Gordan Georgiev, at the lectures on the topic “Leadership in complicated political times”, spoke about what the main postulates of leadership are, how to follow and become a leader, stressing that “the 21st century is a century of leadership crisis”. For a leader to be a long-term and good leader, the leader has to have a mechanism to listen to the people around him, even to what the leader doesn’t want to hear and to leave at the right time!”, said Georgiev.
Former Minister of Culture and National Coordinator for Interculturalism Robert Alagjozovski in his lecture at the School for Young Leaders “Peace Forum Dialogue” outlined that the priorities and goals should be focused on revision of current laws and legal frameworks and their reaffirmation.
“Several problems have been outlined, such as insufficient representation of smaller communities and not respecting all the rights given to the communities by the Constitution and Ohrid Framework Agreement. The lack of capacities, citizen’s distrust in the judiciary and non-implementation of the current laws are mentioned in the Strategy”, said Alagjozovski.
On the second day of the School for Young Leaders “Peace Forum Dialogue “, Deputy Director of the Agency for Community Rights Realization Dzelal Hodzic held a lecture on the topic “Integrative processes”. He said that the Ohrid Framework Agreement completely changed our country. The development of society depends on the integration of communities in it, that the diversity is our richness and the goal is for us to build a society with equal opportunities.
“The Stone Bridge in Skopje connects the city and the Turks needed 8 years to build the bridge at that time, while the old Bazaar was isolated for 8 years, it took 8 years to build communication between the two peoples, as there was various disinformation and precisely that had an influence on deepening of the divisions, therefore politics, media and propaganda are mutually connected with one another, outlined among else Xhabir Deralla from CIVIL.
University professor Jusuf Zejneli talking about the Ohrid Framework Agreement and its achievements, 21 years after its signing, said that thanks to the Ohrid Agreement we are a safe country and are not threatened by the wars that the surrounding region has.
“Thanks to the Agreement signed 21 years ago, we are a member of NATO and have facilitated the path of the EU integration” – said Zejneli.
Life in a multicultural country, in which together we are taking down all barriers, there is no better way than the one we see today. From that environment in which you communicate together, experience those values, only in such a way you can act, because things are done with good management and this school gives you knowledge about multicultural life, shows what integration is, and our country is such a good example for the whole world, said among other things in his lecture Professor Rizvan Sulejmani.
Translation: N. Cvetkovska
