Global Voice

Founded in 2004 with the aim of representing Macedonian American voices in Washington, UMD is now the leading international non-governmental organization promoting Macedonia and the needs of Macedonia globally as well as bringing education and advocacy for the needs of Macedonian and Macedonians. UMD is registered as a 501(3)(c) nonprofit organization.  Operating in the nation’s capital UMD Washington is a nonpartisan organization that looks at creating lasting connections with leaders on both sides of the aisle, in order to promote Macedonian American interests. Representing the interests of Macedonian Americans across the United States, UMD Washington works with faith leaders, politicians, and other prominent members of the community in order to spread Macedonian culture and bring awareness to issues facing the Macedonian community both within the nation and in the diaspora.

To do this UMD hosts several webinars focusing on education, cultural awareness, and activism. UMD also holds an annual Old New Year’s Masquerade Charity Ball – Vasilica Celebration. UMD hosts an annual Birthright Macedonia, that allows young people of Macedonia descent to travel to Macedonia to be emersed in their heritage. UMD also releases an annual 40 under 40 list that celebrates Macedonias who have accomplished great things in their fields. All these programs are hosted
with the hope of bringing greater awareness of Macedonians; beautiful culture to others throughout the United States, as well as connecting Macedonians to their own culture.

Since UMD’s inception in 2004, Macedonian-Australians have played an important role in setting the foundations for the creation of a leading professional grassroots civil society organization. UMD hopes to build upon this proud tradition in the years ahead by attracting the best and brightest volunteer grassroots activists in Australia. In particular, young and established professionals who have the capacity and the passion to advance the interests of our community in Australia and internationally.

While UMD has its international headquarters in Washington D.C, Australian operations have been a great focus of attention given that Australia is home to one of the largest émigré populations of Macedonians outside of Macedonia with approximately 250,000-300,000 strong. Having arrived in waves since the early 1900s, the Macedonian community in Australia is the bedrock for relations between Australia and their ancestral homeland, Macedonia.

UMD Australia is a registered incorporated association based out of Melbourne, Victoria.

To learn more about the history, goals, and challenges of the Macedonian community in Australia, we invite you to read the August 2012 Report published by the Australian Research Council Linkage Project entitled “The Macedonian Diaspora in Australia: Current and Potential Links with the Homeland.” Please click HERE to download the report.

VOLUNTEER FOR UMD AUSTRALIA
UMD Australia is aware that a growing number of Macedonian-Australians of all ages and friends of the community are interested and available to advance the Macedonian cause by supporting one or more UMD programs. Volunteering is a great way to get involved and contribute to the better development of our community, Australia, Macedonia, and the bilateral relations between both nations.

The benefits of volunteering include knowing that you can make a difference to the Macedonian cause, as well as meeting many interesting, well-established members of our community, and participating in great networking events. Volunteers can work on a whole range of campaigns and projects, assisting with educational campaigns, implementing community development projects, media relations and so forth. Volunteering opportunities exist in: Community Engagement, Government Relations, Media, Campaigns, Youth Affairs, and Leadership Development.

If interested in volunteering, please email australia@umdiaspora.org.

Since the turn of the 20th century, Canada has been a major destination for Macedonian émigrés. Currently, there are an estimated 250,000 Canadians of Macedonian heritage. UMD Canada works to represent their interests and needs in collaboration with many Macedonian faith-based, cultural, and benevolent organizations that have been serving the Canadian-Macedonian community for decades, including the Macedonian Orthodox Churches, the Canadian Macedonian Heritage Society, the Canadian Macedonian Place, the Bitove Foundation, United Macedonians of Canada, and the Macedonian Film Festival.

To harness the potential of the Canadian-Macedonian community, UMD Canada, and its young leaders program, Generation M, host a Canadian-Macedonian Leadership Conference at the University of Toronto. Social gatherings include UMD’s networking events for professionals, as well as the annual UMD Rockin Party at Ashbridge’s Bay Yacht Club.

UMD Canada administers the UMD John L. N. Bitove, C.M. Macedonian Heritage Scholarship Program, which has given out close to $60,000 in merit-based scholarships to Canadian and international students.

In 2010, UMD held its 2nd Annual Global Conference in Toronto, which was attended by over 1,000 Macedonians and friends of Macedonia from close to 20 countries. The pillar of the Canadian-Macedonian community, the late John L. N. Bitove, C.M. received the first-ever UMD Lifetime Achievement Award at the conference-closing Gala.

In 2014, UMD together with the Canadian Macedonian Place held a Macedonian Tribute Ball bringing over 500 guests to honor our community’s finest Vonna Bitove (UMD Macedonian Heritage Public Service Award), and Chris Paliare (UMD Lifetime Achievement Award).

Last but not least, UMD Canada has an open-door policy and conducts bridge building and dialogue with Canadian governmental and non-governmental entities to better serve the community and strengthen Canada-Macedonia relations. In 2007, after the community collaborative efforts conducted by UMD, Canada, under the leadership of then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper, recognized Macedonia by its constitutional and rightful name. In 2010, UMD Canada led a delegation of Canadian-Macedonian leaders to Ottawa to meet and bestow upon Prime Minister Harper UMD’s highest honor the UMD Goce Delchev Award.

Volunteering with UMD Canada is an excellent way to contribute to the development of the diaspora community and bilateral Canada-Macedonia relations. If you are interested in learning more about the Canadian-Macedonian community, or in volunteering for UMD Canada, please e-mail canada@umdiaspora.org for more information.

Nova Generation
Nova Generation is a Canadian charity based in Toronto, Canada that provides scholarships to college and university students of Macedonian descent across the worldwide Macedonian diaspora.

The charity provides scholarships and bursaries to students of Macedonian Heritage counseling regarding employment and support to achieve their educational goals. Recipients of the scholarships hail from all walks of life having focussed their studies on a wide variety of fields.

Nova Generation administers The Bitove Scholarship with the generous support of The Bitove Foundation and many, manyother donors in the community. A heartfelt thank you is extended to all who have donated.

Macedonians have made enormous contributions in their respective communities and Nova Generation’s purpose is to help elevate the accomplishments of the next generation of Macedonians in communities across the globe.

Nova Generation is funded 100% from donations. Please visit www.novageneration.ca for more information on the charity, the scholarship application process and past scholarship recipients. We invite you to consider donating so that we may continue to support young Macedonians who are making a difference in Canada and all over the world.

Given that our ancestral homeland, Macedonia, is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa, UMD has set as one of its top priorities to establish a presence in Europe. Throughout history, Macedonians have migrated to other European countries to seek better opportunities, to get educated, or flee wars. Today, Europe (not including geographic Macedonia) is home to approximately 700,000-750,000.

UMD’s representatives in Europe served in the following cities: Brussels, London, Paris, Saint Petersburg, Stuttgart, Thessaloniki (Solun), and Vienna.

On May 1st, 2022, UMD opened a full-time position in Skopje, Macedonia, which serves as a representative unitary body for all Macedonian communities throughout Europe.

If interested in helping UMD expand its efforts in Europe, please email europe@umdiaspora.org or gjordanov@umdiaspora.org