Dear art lovers,
Esteemed Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear Friends,

Every change in the world starts first in the human mind and in the human heart.

This evening, we have gathered here in our ancient Ohrid, because we believe that the power of music and art can change and ennoble the individual, and thus the world and the time we live in.

As rarely any human phenomenon, art has the ability to express the truth of the human soul. The truth which, although not pronounced, must not remain untold - that people have always had a creative spirit that enabled them to be strong even when they were weak, to be rich even when they were poor, to be free even when they were in chains.

Music is freedom's second name. Creation means freedom and freedom means creation. Nearly seven decades ago, on the day of Ilinden, the free ASNOM Macedonia was born. Seven decades ago, the Macedonian Philharmonic Orchestra was born. As ASNOM paved the path to freedom, the Philharmonic opened the "Ohrid Summer Festival" as the most important corridor of art.

Our festival has grown into a modern Via Egnatia art which linked again Ohrid and Macedonia with Europe and the world. Via Egnatia walked after by top domestic and foreign artists, who, with the power of sound and dance, word and image, change our hearts and thoughts, and thus our worldview.

With this thought, I declare this year's "Ohrid Summer Festival" open!