Birthright Macedonia, in cooperation with Boots for Balkans, proudly announces the formation of the ILINDEN GAMES.
The ILINDEN GAMES will offer, for the first time ever, amateur athletic events to all-Macedonian players and teams from around the world to come to the Republic to compete and play against one another.
Plans are underway to offer athletic, competitive events in a variety of different sports for men and women.
The initial phase of the ILINDEN GAMES will be the first MACEDONIAN INTERNATIONAL SOCCER TOURNAMENT. Known as MIST, the Games will be held in July 2019, in Skopje, Republic of Macedonia. Amateur Macedonian soccer teams and players from the Diaspora are invited to play against one another and against native Macedonian soccer teams in the Republic.
MIST is a joint effort organized by the United Macedonian Diaspora’s Birthright Macedonia program in cooperation with Australia’s Boots for Balkans.
Scheduled dates for the Tournament are tentatively set for the week of July 15 – 19, 2019. MIST is to be in held conjunction with the 5th Annual Birthright Macedonia program, which is to be in July 2019, in Skopje and Bitola, Macedonia.
All soccer players participating in MIST will be offered the opportunity to attend selected Birthright Macedonia activities. Included are special weekends that are made available to Birthright Macedonia participants. Known as Heritage Weekends, these are daylong or weekend excursions to various points of interest in the Republic to expose Birthright participants to the culture, the traditions and the history of the Republic. Trips to Lake Ohrid, Galicnik Wedding Festival, Matka Canyon, jazz festivals, national parks, museums, historical and natural sites are typical of the activities offered to Birthright Macedonia participants through the Heritage Weekends program.
In 2019, Birthright Macedonia will be celebrating its fifth anniversary and all alumni from around the globe will be invited to participate in this milestone reunion. The celebration will conclude at the Birthright Macedonia Closing Ceremony, a gala that will offer an evening of food, drink, dancing and camaraderie. All soccer players will be offered the opportunity to attend the Birthright Closing Ceremony.
Lastly, all soccer participants will also be invited to all informal Birthright Macedonia social gatherings at local cafes and taverns during weeknights.
Interested amateur soccer teams and individual players who wish to participate in MIST, should contact the following:
In Australia: info@bootsforbalkans.org
In Canada: canada@umdiaspora.org
In USA: birthright@umdiaspora.org
In Europe: europe@umdiaspora.org
Because participation in MIST is limited, interested teams and players will be assigned on a first come basis.
