Art Brings Together Children from North Macedonia and Bulgaria: “We are here for friendship”

Children and young people from Bulgaria and North Macedonia gathered to paint urban landmarks in Sofia and Plovdiv, in a joint art initiative aimed at building friendship and cultural understanding between the neighbouring countries.

The event is organised by the Bulgarian Memory Foundation with the support of the Ministry of Culture.

A total of 30 young artists from both countries are taking part, creating one inspiring painting each day in the two cities. Penelopa and Jovana are visiting from Bitola.

Jovana Vasilevska, “Cyril and Methodius” Children’s Art Studio, Bitola:
“My first impressions of Plovdiv are wonderful — it is a very beautiful city, with gorgeous architecture, and it reminds me a lot of Bitola.”

Penelopa Gochevska, Bitola:
“We are here for friendship, for art and for learning together — the most important thing is creating something together.”

This is the fourth meeting of young artists from both sides of the border, held under the motto “Children helping children”.

Alime Kanazir, Yakoruda:
“The artists with more experience really help me, because I don’t study at an art school. They show me techniques I don’t know, and I learn from them.”

Laura Hadzhieva, Vulkosel:
“It is very interesting, because you can understand how people from the neighbouring country think, learn about their language and culture.”

Slavcho Nedelkovski, Head of the “St Cyril and St Methodius” Art Studio, Bitola:
“We are living moments where children do not have problems — that’s why you need good partners and good organisation.”

Alexander Petrov, Bulgarian Memory Foundation:
“It is important for us to bring young people from both sides of the border together. This is not just an investment in culture — it is an investment in the future.”

After the Bitola art studio first visited Bulgaria, its state funding in North Macedonia was discontinued. Since then, the meetings have been supported by the Bulgarian Memory Foundation.