site.btaSkopje Hosts Cultural Diplomacy Forum on September 4-6

Petar Stoyanov, who served as President of Bulgaria between 1997 and 2002, participated in the September 4-6 Skopje Cultural Diplomacy Forum, where he stated that the European prospect is the best framework for the development of relations between all Balkan countries based on mutual understanding, leaving behind old prejudices and stereotypes. The Forum brought together former Presidents of Bulgaria, Croatia, Serbia, Albania, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as former prime ministers of Moldova and Lebanon.

Stoyanov said that the collapse of socialism caused the extinction of communist ideology, which used to serve as a unifying element, eliminating national, cultural and religious differences between the various peoples of former Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union. He concluded that national and cultural differences proved stronger than the "common aspiration to build socialism".

Stoyanov said: "The conclusion is that building a common labour market, establishing an intensive cultural dialogue, exchanging students, scholars and cultural events, respecting our own history and cultural values while at the same time knowing and respecting the history and culture of our neighbours is the only recipe for prosperity in the Balkans, which we must do not for the sake of the European Union, but for ourselves, because this is the only way to avoid all future conflicts and disagreements and to lay the foundations for a common future in the Balkans."

Boris Tadic, Serbia's President from 2004 to 2012, stated that the future of Europe is influenced by conflicts such as the one in Ukraine and the relations between China and the US, while the Western Balkans have no alternative to EU membership.

Bamir Topi, Albania's President from 2007 to 2012, said that cooperation and dialogue between neighbouring countries are necessary to achieve the common goal of joining the EU.

President of the Republic of North Macedonia from 2009 to 2019, Gjorge Ivanov, pointed out that 2023 marks the 60th anniversary of the catastrophic earthquake in Skopje on July 26, 1963. The city restoration was expedited thanks to the solidarity shown from other countries. Ivanov said: "The purpose of this forum is to point out the power and importance of cultural diplomacy, of 'soft power', the need for international cooperation and the need for peace in the world".

The forum under the motto "Promoting International Cooperation, Cultural Understanding and Peace" is being held in Skopje for the first time. The Office of Former President Ivanov co-organized the forum with the Berlin-based Academy of Cultural Diplomacy, the City of Skopje and the International Center Alliance of Civilizations.

The participants include Armin Laschet, Minister President of North Rhine-Westphalia, former Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde, Elmar Brok, chairman of the European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs from 2012 to 2017, MEPs, MPs from Scotland, Croatia, Romania, Ireland and North Macedonia.