A delegation of the Municipality of Rešetari and of the Drežnik culture and arts society visited the North Macedonian capital of Skopje. The Drežnik folklore group staged a concert in the local culture centre, while the delegation held a series of meetings with their hosts.
A delegation of the Municipality of Rešetari and of the Drežnik culture and arts society from the village of Drežnik (https://www.facebook.com/kud.dreznik) visited the North Macedonian capital of Skopje from the 30th of August to the 1st of September. The Drežnik folklore group staged a concert at the culture centre in Ilinden, a municipality on the outskirts of Skopje on the 30th of August. The visiting group was welcomed by Ilinden municipal mayor Žika Stojanovski. Rešetari municipal mayor Zlatko Aga presented gifts to the Macedonian hosts. Folklore enthusiasts were treated to a display of dancing, song and the traditions of the Slavonian region that covers northeast Croatia, in particular the šetano (“walked”) round dances this group has nurtured since its founding.
The delegation from Rešetari, led by municipal mayor Zlatko Aga and the president of the municipal council Milka Perković, held a number of working meetings with the mayor of Ilinden and other municipal officials. The guests also visited the Ilinden industrial zone, its points of historical interest and toured the North Macedonian capital of Skopje, including the Kale fortress and Sveti Spas church in the old quarter, and the Mother Teresa memorial centre. In the evening they took part in a Christian mass at the local cathedral of the Most Holy Heart of Jesus. The mass was followed by a short concert in the courtyard of the cathedral for Skopje parish priest Don Davor, Monsignor Antun Cirimotić, the local nuns, members of the congregation and other members of the Community of Croatians in Macedonia.
The Municipality of Rešetari in Croatia and the Municipality of Ilinden in North Macedonia signed a cooperation and friendship agreement in 2012. The document envisages joint projects in the fields of culture, tourism, the business sector, education and sports. This long collaboration has been successfully deepened with an exchange of experiences and numerous shared projects. Prominent among these are the Bridge of Friendship international project between Ante Starčević Elementary School in Rešetari and Goce Delčev Elementary School in Ilinden.
By: Ljerka Toth Naumova