Support from TİKA to the “29th Hıdırellez Spring Fest” in North Macedonia

Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) helped to organize the 29th Hıdırellez Spring Fest in the Çalıklı Village in North Macedonia. Many of our agnates from the Balkans and different regions in Türkiye participated in the program.

Hıdırellez Spring Festival, which represents Turkish culture in North Macedonia, has been interrupted for the last two years because of the pandemics. This year, however, the Hıdırellez festival took place with the coordination of Turkish Ministry of Tourism and Republic, TİKA, The Embassy of Türkiye in Skopje, the Ministry of Culture of North Macedonia, MATÜSİTEB and other institutions.

Following the official opening ceremony, folkloric dance teams from diverse Balkan countries performed their dances, and oil wrestling activities were carried out. Hasan Mehmet Sekizkök, the Ambassador of Türkiye in Skopje, political representatives from North Macedonia and representatives of Turkish and local institutions were present in the ceremony. Many citizens were present as well.

Dr. Şenol Tahir, the President of the Hıdırellez Spring Festival Association and committee member gave a speech and thanked all the relevant institutions for helping to organize the festival. Tahir indicated that Hıdırellez was included in the UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural assets in 2017 and added that the event would continue to flourish in the years ahead.

Hüsrev Emin, the President of MATÜSİTEB (Association of Turkish NGOs in Macedonia) said that Hıdırellez celebrations, which have been continuing to grow, are a great sign of the Turkish presence in North Macedonia.

Halim Ömer Söğüt, TİKA’s Skopje Coordinator said TİKA helped with the organization of the Hıdırellez Spring Fest, which has promoted Turkish culture in North Macedonia for long years. Söğüt underlined that TİKA will continue to support activities that would help to gather our agnates and create a common understanding and a shared future.  He also emphasized the need to continue events like Hıdırellez Spring Fest, which has been a part of the deep-rooted Turkish culture in the region.

Ambassador Sekizköz reminded in his speech that Hıdırellez is the harbinger of abundance and prosperity and explained that it adds a different colour, meaning and richness to Turkish culture. Sekizköz said, “We can maintain this beautiful tradition thanks to our co-existence culture, which we have kept for centuries. We are so happy that North Macedonia, a place of peaceful co-existence, sets an example for the Balkans and the entire world”. Sekizkök highlighted that Turkish people living in North Macedonia symbolize peace and fraternity in the region.