On Sunday, 2 August, on Ilinden and Statehood Day, the 55th World Macedonian Emigrant Gathering and the 46th Border Gathering of Macedonians from the Aegean part of Macedonia will be held together as one All-Macedonian Gathering, in the courtyard of the church „Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God“ in the village of Trnovo beneath Pelister, near Bitola.

The fifty-fifth. Which means this gathering has been running longer than the lifespan of a good many people who attend it. This is not a festival someone invented last year for a press conference - it is a tradition that has outlived several states, several borders and several generations.

The programme and the times

The liturgy in the church begins at 7:30am and is open to everyone. The official programme starts at 10:30, followed by a general public celebration. The gathering will be blessed by His Eminence Petar, Metropolitan of Prespa and Pelagonia. Bitola mayor Toni Konjanovski will greet those present as patron, together with representatives of the organisers.

The ceremonial address on behalf of the Emigrants' Foundation of Macedonia will be given by Prof Dr Vasil Tocinovski - the first and long-serving lecturer at the Macedonian language department in Rijeka, a writer, essayist, critic, literary historian and translator. The cultural programme is carried by the folk ensembles „Goce Delchev“ from Bitola and „Novaci“ from Novaci.

Transport is free - here are the exact stops

Bitola municipality is running free bus transport from several settlements and city points, returning at 1:00pm.

Bus 1: 09:15 Kukurechani in front of the shops, 09:30 Gorno Orizari (stadium).
Bus 2: 09:15 Bistrica village, 09:30 Bukovski Livadi (stop).
Buses 3 and 4: 09:10 At Pazar, 09:20 Karposh (stop „St Toma“), 09:30 Handball hall, 09:40 Simpo, 09:50 Hospital, 10:00 Dovledzhik in front of Josifov.
Buses 5 and 6: 09:10 Bela Cheshma, 09:20 Sheherezada, 09:30 Crn Most, 09:40 Vero, 09:50 Market Angela (Brusnichka).

The municipality is asking anyone interested to arrive at the departure stops on time.

This is that rare occasion when a local government announcement contains exactly what a person needs: place, time and stop. No general phrases, no square metres and layers. Six buses and precise minutes.

If you are in or around Bitola and every summer you say this is the year you will go - this Sunday there is no excuse about transport. All that is left is the alarm clock.