Introduction speech

Skopje, the capital city of Republic of Macedonia is ready to open the seven gates of art, greeting warmly and offering space for one of the major cultural events in the country, in order to welcome around 1.000 artists coming from 46 countries around Europe and the Mediterranean. The seven gates of art will be open for the citizens of the country, other Balkan countries, and even farther, since such event will be a rare moment when premises of culture in Skopje will breathe to capacity. Music, visual arts, gastronomy, literature, theatre, all represents keys to open the cultural gates of Skopje in September.

In the role of organizers, we are honored to organize and manage this kind of event, primarily because of its international features. Europe and the Mediterranean will have the opportunity to encounter closely the Macedonian culture and traditions, thus Macedonia is promoted beyond its borders. Secondly, this event presents a great challenge for us due to the efforts we are making, this cultural biennial for young artists to signify as a hallmark for a successfully realized project and model how such cultural event, should, can and must be organized. The aim is to follow the tradition both the European and the Mediterranean countries to be identified by successful and prolific cooperation in the cultural domain.

We have projected Skopje to obtain certain hallmark by this Biennial. Therefore after completing this happening, we would like to leave an actual imprint testifying that Skopje functioned as a European metropolis of culture. Thus we are sending the message - the cultural Biennial must leave such imprints testifying that cultural differences can lead to successful cooperation, progress, improvement, and even a decisive factor in creating policies in this cultural sphere.

To learn how to meet and respect through differences in culture. In the behalf of this, we are opening the seven gates of the cultural Biennial for young artists from Europe and the Mediterranean in Skopje. Games can finally begin.

Yours faithfully,

Emil Mitevski
Director of Skopje Biennial
Association for International Youth Cooperation, Skopje

_________________________________________________________________________________

Who we are?

AMMS - Association for International Youth Cooperation from Skopje is based organization that has been founded in March 2003. Logistic and financial support is given by Ministry of Culture of Macedonia and the City of Skopje. In December 2003, AMMS became full member of a world wide organization, BJCEM - Biennial for Young Artist from Europe and Mediterranean. According to the fact, that AMMS has an own representative in the Board of Directors of BJCEM, the organization is given a unique right to promote the Macedonian culture out of country borders. This promotion AMMS has been making throw workshops, exhibitions, performances, seminars of culture, and also provide collaboration and exchange among the artists on the international level.

The Association for International Youth Cooperation (AMMS) from Skopje, is an non-profitable and apolitical association of citizens, created in association with people who care about interests of young people who are involved in culture and of those who are not, and with purpose of realization and consenting their interests and of accomplishing functions and activities which aim for promotion of liberties and rights of youth, as well as their active involvement in social life.

Mission

to be new dynamic environment that will promote, foster and mobilize a new generation of authors. AMMS is an organization committed in introducing new tendencies in the arts to the Macedonian community and exploring its cultural, technical, social and vocational possibilities as well as to stimulate cultural needs of the audience and cultural development of the society, exchange ideas, knowledge, and experiences and create the future of the art and culture in the region. Programs are developed through different projects that involve education, production, promotion always with the focus on introducing new tendencies and ideas, and supporting new initiatives in the arts and culture to the young authors in Macedonia.

General aim

To supports the development of the independent art scene through programs in the contemporary arts, by supporting the expressive use of innovative tools, by providing the access, training and environment needed to create/exhibit works of enduring merit and artistic excellence. We do believe that everyone can and should have access to information about the new tendencies in the world and new tools of education and communication.

Objectives of the organization

Active involvement of youth in the day to day process of entire community living, and realized throw following assignments:

- Educational possibilities from different profiles

- Organization of seminars, projects, tribunes, sport games, cultural events and enrichment of the cultural life of the youth

- Organization of education in foreign schools and universities

- Exchange of students

- Organization of seminars, projects, tribunes in the area of the human freedoms and rights, like the right of opinion, the right of equality and others human