One of the ways for Macedonia to increase tourism from the diaspora, is for the Macedonian tourist authorities to designate village reunions every four years, like the Olympics. In this way Macedonian emigrants can plan their vacations years in advance and get to meet their relatives, all at the same time. Each week can be designated for 5 or so villages and since there are 8 weeks in the summer that gives us 40 village reunions. It should be possible to go through all the villages in "historical Macedonia" in 4 or 5 years before repeating the process. (Remember Skopje and Bitola are not villages, no one comes from there. They are always from somewhere else.) I am talking about ancestral villages.
For example, the first week of July, 2010 could be proclaimed "Bouf Reunion Week" [The village of Bouf (Akrita) in Lerin (Florina)]. Dances and picnics can be scheduled, hotels reserved and famous Boufchani (if there are any) and be invited. Hear what Louie Dimitrovski has to say about Boufchani.
The guests coming for family reunions can be surveyed as to what business they are employed in and contacts can be arranged with local business people. Doctors and lawyers can meet with their local counterparts.I had thought that there could be a permanent "business trade show" created so that Macedonian business people can deduct their trip as a business expense ... an added bonus... but I am not sure how it would work. Macedonians could also invite their friends to an exotic, but safe, tourist destination
I have been told that, in addition to having relatives in Macedonia and Greece, I also have relatives in Bulgaria, Serbia, the US, Australia, France, and Belgium. Meeting in Macedonia at "Village Reunion Week", scheduled years in advance is the only way that we will ever meet.
The "village reunion movement" could act as a foundation for a "reconciliation movement" of Macedonians who have been split between Grkoman, Srboman, Bugaroman, Macedonianists and between pro-communist (Tito) and anti-communist (Tito) factions. I especially think it would be valuable for Macedonians living in Greece who are still afraid to reveal their identity for fear of reprisals and the Macedonians living in Bulgaria, who do not understand the "Macedonianism" of the Republic of Macedonia to meet their relatives in the Republic.
This effort, if marketed properly to western governments, could be funded by the US or EU.
For example, the first week of July, 2010 could be proclaimed "Bouf Reunion Week" [The village of Bouf (Akrita) in Lerin (Florina)]. Dances and picnics can be scheduled, hotels reserved and famous Boufchani (if there are any) and be invited. Hear what Louie Dimitrovski has to say about Boufchani.
The guests coming for family reunions can be surveyed as to what business they are employed in and contacts can be arranged with local business people. Doctors and lawyers can meet with their local counterparts.I had thought that there could be a permanent "business trade show" created so that Macedonian business people can deduct their trip as a business expense ... an added bonus... but I am not sure how it would work. Macedonians could also invite their friends to an exotic, but safe, tourist destination
I have been told that, in addition to having relatives in Macedonia and Greece, I also have relatives in Bulgaria, Serbia, the US, Australia, France, and Belgium. Meeting in Macedonia at "Village Reunion Week", scheduled years in advance is the only way that we will ever meet.
The "village reunion movement" could act as a foundation for a "reconciliation movement" of Macedonians who have been split between Grkoman, Srboman, Bugaroman, Macedonianists and between pro-communist (Tito) and anti-communist (Tito) factions. I especially think it would be valuable for Macedonians living in Greece who are still afraid to reveal their identity for fear of reprisals and the Macedonians living in Bulgaria, who do not understand the "Macedonianism" of the Republic of Macedonia to meet their relatives in the Republic.
This effort, if marketed properly to western governments, could be funded by the US or EU.
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