Friday, 28 February 2014
Address of the vice president Jakimovska at the OPENING of the 51st mavrovo memorial in nordic skiing
Distinguished Members of the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia
Distinguished Mayor of the Municipality Mavrovo and Rostushe,
Distinguished veterans of skiing, contestants, sport workers, sports lovers
It is my sincere honor and pleasure to be here, at the start of the 51st Mavrovo memorial and to contribute, together in the continuation of the year’s long tradition of this sport event, which in the past years marks success and receives significant acknowledgements.
The pleasure is even greater considering that the Mavrovo memorial is one of the several most important Cups of this kind in Europe, significantly contributing in the promotion and affirmation of our state, the Republic of Macedonia.
I am pleased by the fact that as a sign of well organized competitions so far, the Mavrovo Memorial grew from Balkan- regional Cup into Continental- European Cup, acknowledged by the International Ski Federation (FIS) and that our Cup is among the most important cups of this kind in Europe.
51 times, the whishes and dreams of the generations from 1957, who organized the first memorial, Nordic skiing competition, were realized.
Distinguished,
The competition is organized in the honor of the 38 deceased construction workers of the electrical system Mavrovo hydroelectric power station and 14 brave border guards who died in the avalanche in 1956, which are the true pillar of our present times. Today, we pay respect and remember them all.
We are being reminded of the young construction workers of Mavrovo 46 who, sincerely and willingly, as they said, without machinery, built the future of generations. The vision and the enthusiasm of the young construction workers becomes goal and strive for all of us. Today, we pay our respect to all of them.
Tradition goes hand in hand with sincere and dedicated engagement and effort. All these parameters are connected through the Mavrovo Memorial. Hence, I am sincerely pleased that in the past years the states invests its efforts in this Memorial, so that it can become tone of the best organized competitions not only on the Balkan but wider, efforts that will put us among the European and world elite.
I am saying this, especially because of the fact that sport is not limited on one generation only, on the contrary, the success of the individual, of the team, mean success and affirmation of the state, motive for self promotion and investments. Sportsmen remind us daily that behind every sportsmen there are hours of training, investments of the authorities, trust from the coach, all in direction of promotion of one’s own state, giving an example worth to follow.
Guided by this thought, the Republic of Macedonia, through the Agency on Youth and Sport, Macedonian Olympic Committee, Ski Federation adopted strategy and Program for Development of the Sport 2013- 2017, aiming to motivate its sportsmen to victory, individual and our, since victory of the sportsman means that he or she worked harder, is more dedicated and is willing to give much more on the field than others.
In these dynamic times, we should all turn to sports at least for a while, recreationally for pleasure, but also to acknowledge the giants, and work for those who are to come in the sport arena, to be numerous and more successful.
There are people in the World who believe in the sportsmen, and those who doubt them, but I would tell the least, that they must never doubt the vigor of the heart of the champions.
I wish all participants and gussets in Mavrovo successful sports stay and good impressions from the Mavrovo memorial.
Finally, allow me to declare that the 50th jubilee Mavrovo Memorial is opened.
Thank you.