Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear fellow citizens,

Prilep mourns and rejoices today. It mourns because one of his great sons, Blagoja Spirkoski - Dzhumerko, went into eternity. It rejoices because the memory of Dzhumerko continues to live through the Prilep National Theatre and through the Macedonian Theatre Festival.

I believe that there is no more appropriate way for Prilep and Macedonia to bid farewell with the great actor than by welcoming his great love - the theater.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Despite all the temptations posed by the mass media and social networks, which seem to shorten our time and patience, however, we remained faithful to the theater. There are at least two reasons for that.

This year we celebrate a double anniversary. 140 years since the birth of the father of the Macedonian drama - Vojdan Cernodrinski and 50 years since the Macedonian theater festival that bears his name.

During these 50 years and 417 festival days and nights, 663 plays were performed, classical and modern, foreign and Macedonian. As a natural space for the Macedonian drama, art, the festival maintains the covenant of Cernodrinski.

All that is the result of many playwrights, directors, producers and, of course, actors that bring the word on stage. Deserving are the drama critics, but also the less visible but no less important masters of their craft without whose dedication not a single performance would touch the hearts of people, i.e. the set designers, costume designers, make-up artists, light and sound masters of...

The second reason for staying faithful for half a century to the Macedonian Theatre Festival is its repertoire through which it always manages to address important topics and send important messages.

At a time when the Republic of Macedonia is going through political and social drama, one message is particularly important for all of us. And it is the need for dialogue at the political arena and restoration of mutual trust in society.

The theatre acts as a corrective mirror that honestly shows things as they are and as they can be. Through drama plots and ends, the theater boldly points to the possible causes and consequences of our decisions.

Therefore, it is my honor as President of the Republic of Macedonia with the Charter to express our gratitude to the Macedonian Theater Festival "Vojdan Cernodrinski". Gratitude because with its honesty it has never ceased to be the salt to the wound and remedy for the soul of the Macedonian society.

Thank you.