For 17 years, the United Macedonian Diaspora (UMD) has been working to reduce the inequalities facing Macedonian-identifying peoples around the world.
Considering this year’s United Nations Human Rights Day theme on Equality, we, at the UMD are tripling our advocacy efforts to bring awareness about Macedonian challenges. This fall, UMD Australia provided a grant to fund Macedonian language classes in Aegean Macedonia (current-day Greece) – and 20 students have signed up already.
For over a century, but especially since Macedonia declared independence in 1991, Macedonians have been singled out and judged by standards not expected of any other nation.
To join NATO, Macedonia was forced to change its name by Greece. Now, the use of “North Macedonian” is rampant in international media, and among governments.
To join the EU, Macedonia is being required to change its language and history by Bulgaria.
EU membership was “promised” when Macedonia changed its name by all EU officials who visited the country prior to the name referendum, which failed.
Macedonian minorities in Bulgaria and Greece have NO civil rights – something we take for granted in places like the United States, Australia, Canada, Germany, etc.
Since Albania became an EU candidate country, Bulgarian foreign ministry officials, their Embassy staff in Tirana, and government-sponsored entities have been going into Albania to visit Macedonian populated villages and towns applying pressure for Macedonian-identifying peoples to declare themselves as “Bulgarians.”
Human rights transcend realpolitik and grievance politics, and UMD is conducting global efforts to call out intolerance and efforts to humiliate Macedonians because of their name, people, religion, and history.
We will no longer tolerate the inequality and discrimination of Macedonians.
Self-determination is a protected right, as is the right to freedom of expression and the very right to exist without threats.
If you’re committed to equality and non-discrimination, advancing human rights, then get involved in UMD today.