Esteemed Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great honor and a distinct pleasure to greet you and thank you for your hospitality. The honor is even greater, as this year our two friendly countries celebrate an important anniversary, 20 years of establishment of diplomatic relations. 20 years of friendship between the Republic of Macedonia and the Holy See. Years filled with fruitful cooperation and mutual respect. I am confident that in the coming decades, with joint efforts, we will upgrade our traditional friendship.

The friendly relations and cooperation between the two countries rely on three pillars: the deep Christian tradition, the shared concern for Europe and promotion of peace, dialogue, coexistence and respect for diversity. Pillars founded on the golden rule that means we should treat others as we wish others to treat us.

Over the centuries, this rule has not outdated, nor lost its meaning. But rather, more than ever, it is now at the center of the response of many current European and global challenges.

The Republic of Macedonia, has built this principle in its Macedonian model of coexistence and respect for diversity in our multiethnic, multireligious and multilingual society.

Distinguished Attendees,

Those individuals, who have seriously understood the golden rule, have changed Europe and the world for the better. Such individuals, who devoted their lives to Christ, the compassion and enlightenment, even today strongly bond Macedonia and the Holy See, Mother Teresa, who was born in Skopje, and St. Cyril, who died in Rome.

Thanks to the Ss. Cyril and Methodius, the question whether nations have a right to their own language, education, self-identification is not posed any longer, but how to ensure and implement that right. This exhibition of medieval manuscripts is a witness thereof.

Thanks to Mother Teresa and the people who have dedicated their lives to charity to the poor and outcast, the question whether we should help the poor is not posed any longer, but how to help them.

If Ss. Cyril and Methodius in the 9th century were the moral conscience of Europe, Mother Teresa in the 20th century became the moral conscience of the world.

The Republic of Macedonia and the Holy See shared responsibility is to continue together to nurture and promote these shared values: peace, dialogue, spiritual understanding, coexistence and respect for diversity.

Thank you.