Sport has not a sideline, but extremely important role in the society because it brings people together, connects and builds unity, the President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, said in his address at the International Conference “Sport as a Factor for Tolerance, Unity and Respect”, as final activity within the project with the same name, initiated by the Geo-strategic Institute “Global”.

The President, who is patron of the event, noted that multiethnic sport is inclusive activity through which we can build a better future for the Macedonian society as a whole. Individual’s talent, as suggested by the President, wins games, while teamwork wins championships.

Multi-ethnic sport is exactly that - teamwork, at home and outside, at the championships. It refers not only to sports, but to every sphere of life. Our team is called the Republic of Macedonia; it includes all its citizens, all communities, regardless of ethnic, religious or any other affiliation, regardless of gender and age”, President Ivanov said.
 
As a passionate supporter of sports activities, he took the opportunity to announce the next project – celebration of a sports day in the Republic of Macedonia. "This sports day will be marked in a way that each of us will dedicate and spend in making mass friendships through sports", President Ivanov stressed.

The Macedonian President stressed that sport builds solidarity and has the power to connect people with equal force that connects clubs and champions with their dedicated fans.

"We live in a multi-ethnic, multilingual and multi-religious society. As inclusive, not exclusive, human activity, sport implies participation rather than isolation. Therefore, we strongly support multi-ethnic sport and believe it will modernize the ancient tradition of tolerance, unity and mutual respect."

The US Ambassador, Paul Wohlers, one of the supporters of this project, in his speech stressed that the activities carried out within it contributed to bringing together young people from all over Macedonia, regardless of their ethnic, religious, social and cultural background, in developing deeper and richer sentiments about themselves and others.

The President of the Geo-strategic Institute "Global", Ivan Anastasovski, the organizer of this conference, said that through sports and through such projects, we will be able to address the dark forces willing to advocate something else in Macedonia.

"Today we are gathered here again, but not to say that we have finished, but to show that we are a big family consisted of all communities, religions and nationalities of all ages", Anastasovski noted.
The International Conference is the final activity within the project "Sport as a Factor for Tolerance, Unity and Respect" whose patron is President Ivanov, which, in the last year was conducted in several municipalities in Macedonia for children from different ethnic and religious backgrounds, through sport, to develop the spirit of togetherness, mutual understanding and respect.

As a patron and supporter of the project "Sport as a Factor for Tolerance, Unity and Respect", President Ivanov was awarded Certificate of Appreciation. The organizers of the project expressed gratitude to the President for his outstanding devotion and  commitment to this and all other projects aimed at bringing young people from Macedonia together and towards building a multiethnic coexistence.