The President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, today attended the solemn liturgy in the Cathedral church “St. Kliment Ohridski” led by the Archbishop of Ohrid and Macedonia, H.H. Stefan. He congratulated all Orthodox believers the greatest Christian holiday - Easter and wished them health, happiness, joy, peace, harmony and success.

”These are the holidays when we are reminded of our tradition, what our ancestors have left to us as a covenant, to respect each other and to forgive, because as we respect others and forgive them, they will respect and will forgive us as well”, President Ivanov said after the solemn liturgy.

The President on this occasion strongly condemned the murder of five people in the village Smiljkovci near Skopje, expressing deep condolences to the families of the victims and conveyed a message to the perpetrators of the brutal murder that justice will be done.

”These days we can not but mention the murder of those five children and sympathize with their families and their loved ones. We expect the perpetrators to be apprehended and punished”, the President stressed.

Easter for Christian believers is the holiest and brightest holiday, symbol of victory of life over death, good over evil. This holiday is a combination of faith and tradition, the day when Jesus Christ rose from the dead. Day of symbolic and traditional way of celebrating the proof of Jesus’ divine power.

There can be no lasting peace and cooperation without sustained and rapid development, without the participation of all countries and social groups in the development, President Gjorge Ivanov stressed in his address at the Session of the Presidents “Hunger, Poverty and Unemployment”, held today in Izmir, as part of the 15. Eurasian Economic Summit.

President Ivanov underlined that we need a new era of regional cooperation in Southeast Europe and in Eurasia, with specific projects in the sphere of economy, with infrastructure and energy connectivity. The economy depends on infrastructure connectivity, notably road, rail and air traffic, as President Ivanov said, adding that for a long time, along with his colleagues from the region, they put all their efforts to connect the Adriatic-Ionian Highway with Corridors 8 and 10, a big project with huge benefits for the whole region.

Without energy security, noone in the world today can make projections on the future. Therefore, I wish the Republic of Macedonia and the other countries in the region are energy connected. I am particularly pleased that we are in an advanced stage of negotiations for connecting Macedonia to the pipeline “South Stream”. But we should not rely solely on this, the Macedonian President noted.

On our path towards the European and Euro-Atlantic integrations, our desire is not to acquire a membership card only. We want substantive integration of European criteria and standards in our countries and societies throughout our region. We want to establish Europe in our region. To establish it through social stability, reforms, professional administration, efficient and independent judiciary, President Ivanov said.

Discussing about the challenges faced by the humanity in the second decade of the Millennium, the President said that climate change, deteriorating conditions in the environment, restricted energy, water, mineral resources have become a priority of the global political agenda. In that regard, he announced that in June next year he will be hosting the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the South-East Europe countries.

President Ivanov expects to raise regional awareness and responsibility for problems and challenges that recognize no borders, the consequences of which are our common concern. Consequences which are inextricably related with issues such as hunger, poverty and unemployment, being a chronic pain of humanity.

The Macedonian President talked about the achievements in reducing the unequal development, something that is long present on the priority list of the United Nations system. Despite the increased access of people to pure potable water, decrease of mortality of children under 5 years of age and increase of the percentage of children in primary education, the results, according to President Ivanov, are not sufficient and do not meet the real needs of humanity. In that context, he mentioned the fact that far more money is spent in the world on armaments and investment in defense than on aid, development and investment in developing countries.

President Ivanov presented his vision on the need of operationalization on a regional level of the global strategy and efforts of the United Nations and of the other global political factors, by institutional linkage of the policies of the countries in the regions and by establishing regional mechanisms and institutions for equitable development. We must regionalize and tailor the United Nations Strategy, President Ivanov said, and in the regions, we have to cooperate in joint development policy, mutual opening and connecting, in sustainable development strategy.

The meeting in Izmir was attended by the Macedonian Minister of Environment and Physical Planning, Abdilakim Ademi and the Minister without Portfolio, Hadi Nezir. It was attended by more than 250 representatives from 40 countries, including the Presidents of Montenegro, Albania, the Prime Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina, former presidents of Bulgaria, Romania, Kosovo.

The purpose of the meeting is to offer joint solutions to the Balkan countries, Europe, Asia and Africa to provide greater stability and development, and to attract greater attention to the problems of hunger, poverty and unemployment in order to minimize them. Hunger and poverty are not a problem only of people and countries facing them, but of rich and powerful, who are supposed to eradicate such situations, assessed the participants at the meeting. The fifteenth edition of the Eurasian Economic Forum is organized by the Marmara Foundation in cooperation with the Chamber of Commerce of Izmir.

We all need to go back to the base of the source of faith and respect for spiritual values to better cope with the challenges of today and to be united, Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew assessed at the meeting in the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul.

Besides the messages for Orthodox unity, President Ivanov and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew discussed about the problems faced by the Macedonian Orthodox Church, as well as about the Miracle in the Church St. Demetrius.

President Ivanov expressed hope that the issue of MOC will be solved through dialogue with mutual respect in the spirit of Christianity and that the Macedonian believers will take their place in the Orthodox ecumene. Church issues, President Ivanov said after the meeting, should be resolved by the churches; they do not have limited mandate as politicians have. Church issues are resolved by the churches. We are politicians and we are limited with a mandate. Ecclesiastical issues in the church have no restrictions and it is a process that makes me happy, it is ongoing process and the churches will find a solution, President Ivanov underlined.

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew at the meeting said that his thoughts and prayers and his personal engagement are aimed to overcome misunderstandings and reaching Orthodox unity. He congratulated the leadership of President Ivanov for his commitment to spiritual values, dialogue and tolerance for diversity.

The meeting between President Ivanov and the Ecumenical Patriarch was preceded with President’s presence at the morning liturgy in the church St. George in the yard of the Constantinople Patriarchate. At the liturgy, led by His All-Holiness Bartholomew, the holy myrrh was prepared that brings all believers in Christianity, an act done every ten years, before the Easter holidays.

President Ivanov said it was a unique event that gives hope for the unity of believers of the common Orthodox ecumene. The preparation of the holy myrrh is done once in 10 years and is an event that is unique and brings all believers in the Christian world. Being present at this liturgy, the talks we have had with the Ecumenical Patriarch give us hope that our believers will be in communion with the whole Orthodox ecumene, President Ivanov said.

At the opening ceremony of the Conference of the Alliance of Civilizations in Istanbul, President Ivanov, as one of the key speakers, delivered his address on “Balkan Peace - a Vision for the Future with Lessons from the Past”.

The World must not repeat the mistakes of the past in order to be a better place to live in, with less conflicts and more freedom and democracy. People and religions must share greater understand, and the purpose of every individual must be the desire for freedom, President Gjorge Ivanov said in his address.

The Macedonian President, before more than 200 participants at the conference from the political, economic, diplomatic and academic circles in Turkey, reviewed the consequences of the conflicts throughout history in the Balkan region and addressed the threats and the causes of future conflicts.

The map of the world, President Ivanov said, today shows that where freedom dominates wealth dominates as well; however, much of the wealth on the planet is a result of the indebtedness of certain countries. It indicates that there will be many conflicts which will not be on religious grounds, nor for liberty, but wars between those who have and those who do not. Global developments, President Ivanov said, reflect the situation in the Balkans, which becomes a place where many people seek for relief from the risky areas.

There is constant movement of people and migration causing potential conflicts. Therefore, the Alliance of Civilizations has a lot of work to do. A battle on many fronts should be led, because old prejudice stemming from religion are gone, the divisions created by ideologies still dominate, but the modern way of living that creates huge debts is a source of conflict, President Ivanov stressed.

He noted that to achieve peace, the world should learn from the past, not to repeat the mistakes in the future. That is exactly the role of the Alliance of Civilizations, to influence people and religions to understand each other, and the freedom to be the goal of every one of us and to capitalize the desire to live in a better world, the Macedonian President assessed in the lecture he delivered at the Conference.

The Caravan of about 300 students, aged 9 to 12 years, from six municipalities included in the project “Sports as a Factor for Tolerance, Unity and Respect”, which is implemented under the auspices of the President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, today visited the municipality Suto Orizari.

President Ivanov, who attended the sport and cultural event within the project, reminded that after Prilep this is the second municipality in which the students through sports and game socialize and make friends.

”What we have seen in Prilep and here, shows that young people need and want to be friends with each other. Through friendship they acquaint and see Macedonia as a country of diversity, which we respect, we have constantly cherished. It is of particular importance to feel that power which gives unity at a very young age”, president Ivanov said.

According to him, young people should be given the opportunity to make friends and through sports to gain the sense of competition, but in life to focus on achieving success and gaining greater knowledge. Growing up in a multiethnic environment is a great benefit and advantage, and sport is an excellent basis for cohesion, exchange and friendship.

President informed that other municipalities show interest to join this project.

The project is implemented by the Association for Development Initiatives - Geostrategic Institute “Global” in partnership with the municipalities involved in its implementation - Prilep, Tetovo, Center, Staro Nagoricane, Suto Orizari and Vrapciste. The project aims to enable primary school students from six communities through sports, socializing, communicating and visiting local cultural sites to become better acquainted with their peers who come from different cultural and ethnic communities, to develop a spirit of unity and mutual understanding and respect.

President Gjorge Ivanov in Suto Orizari congratulated the International Day of Roma. He met with Mayor Elvis Bajram and municipal councilors, who expressed appreciation for this first visit of the President to the Municipality, and that the event happens on the eve of the Day of Roma.

The President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, today visited the Business Center in the High School “Rade Jovcevski – Korchagin” in Skopje. The reason for the visit of the President was the second place won by the team of the High School at the 2012 Global Virtual Competition in Entrepreneurship, organized by the British Council.

The four high-school students - Bonita Kolevska, Verce Karafilovska, Dusan Trajkovski and Andrej Georgievski, asked what they would do if their country was to host the Olympic or Paralympic Games, developed the idea of organizing and setting up Ethno-villages, which would be energy efficient and accessible to persons with disabilities.

Their success was acknowledged by President Ivanov, emphasizing that it is a positive example to be followed.

"I have witnessed great inventiveness and creativity in this high school and it is to be appreciated. Teachers and students create something that is recognizable at global level. Not only that we invest as a country in education and in creating conditions for the future of these generations, but through this example we have seen that we create youth for the future. These young people have shown that the knowledge gained may be represented globally and that they can receive awards. This is an excellent example both for the students and for the teachers, and that when you have an idea, it is the idea that can bring you success", President Ivanov said.

Korchagin high school team won the national competition in entrepreneurship in October last year and afterwards competed for best business plan globally, among the teams of the following developing countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, South African Republic, Pakistan, Bangladesh. Winner of the 2012 Global Virtual Competition in Entrepreneurship was the project of the students from South Africa. There was only a few points difference in favor of the South African Republic and they won the first place before the Macedonian students from "Korchagin".