56 years after their predecessors, Chancellor Konrad Adenauer and President Charles de Gaulle signed in Paris the Elysée Treaty for post-war reconciliation, on January 22, 2019 President Emmanuel Macron and Chancellor Angela Merkel, signed Treaty of Aachen and reconfirmed the wide-range cooperation and collaboration of this two countries at the heart of Europe.
On this occasion, the Ambassadors of Germany and France, Mr. Thomas Gerberich and Mr. Christian Thimonier chose LOJA as the place to mark this friendship.
Centre LOJA in cooperation with both embassies and Alliance Française de Tetovo screened the German-French film “Transit” directed by Christian Petzold and organized panel discussion on the “The Franco-German friendship treaty in the context of the current challenges of Macedonia and the Western Balkans”
Panel started with inputs by Mrs. Maja Muhic – Doctor of Philosophy – professor at the SEE University, Mr. Rober Alagjozovski – National coordinator for the development of culture and inter-ministerial cooperation and Mr. Enver Abdullahu – Doctor of International Relation, professor at Mother Teresa University and Ex-ambassador of MK to Norway. After their input Bujar Luma (moderator of eh debate) opened the floor for the audience.
On the event beside embassy teams we also had representatives of: universities, local authorities-mayor, foreign ministry, police, CSO’s from allover Macedonia, media, Goethe Institute, Institut français, KURVE Wustrow, DAAD and participants form the three-national exchanges Germany-France-Macedonia.
This event once more proved the hight interstate for this topic. Together, panelist and audience agreed the example of Germany and France has played and continues to play role in Western Balkans.
In our view, this event was also:
– Recognition of LOJA’s work on reconciliation for the last two decades, especially on using the Franko-German model of reconciliation (starting from hundred of intercultural exchanges organized through #OFAJ_DFJW to the crucial role that LOJA played in establishment of #RYCO),
and
– Confirmation of LOJA as credible parter!