Sofija Trenchovska

Virtual macedonian chronotope

Virtual Macedonian chronotope

Word on “Project Rastko — Macedonia”

Strumica, Macedonia, Dec. 11, 2007

Respected readers,

Before us is the beginning of the realization of a large and important project for Macedonian culture and electronic publishing. Web Portal “Project Rastko – Macedonia” will be an electronic library of the Macedonian culture and tradition.. And not only that. Our task will be to preserve, process and digitalize valuable (primarily) written works, created through several developmental stages, those which reflect our cultural history, right up to modern literary phenomena. And also, photography, music, comics, film and other related, hybrid and/or multimedial audiovisual forms. With a goal of decent and representative presentation of our literary, historical and artistically inspired treasures through Internet network, and with humanistic intention to make it available in every home, every office, to each reader, researcher and consumer. In this way, the Macedonian culture will also join to the initiative which affirms the Cyrillic alphabet and to dispersing Balkan-Slavic culture in the pan-European and transoceanic cultural framework. It is also important for works to be published not only in the language of its creation, native language — Macedonian literary language —, but also in some parallel, bilingual and multilingual translations... But, firstly, we want to create a special tribute to the author of literary work. And to demonstrate a habit of evaluation and true respect of one’s effort, without silence and negations inherent in some dark corners of the World. Only by this way we will enable simpler communication and accessibility of literary works to the readers.

On this honorable occasion, I want also to mention that the idea of this Internet venture would have been almost impossible without the persistence and efforts of a great friend of Macedonia, Zoran Stefanović, President of the "Project Rastko" Cultural Network.

And certainly many will wonder why it is so important that integration of Macedonia in this global network, comes right now and symbolically — right here, from the spiritual matrix of wells and crossroads – from ancient city of Tiberiopolis / Asterion, modern city of Strumica. Therefore it is no coincidence that for the starting date we chose December 11, the day feasted by Macedonian Christians in honor of the Holy 15 Hieromartyrs of Tiberiopolis. This moment, this place, will also oblige modern science,  and in this initial list of texts, we note the rare personal efforts that call for modern dedication while researching such direction.

Macedonia is a light that will not close down. It is an ancient land of sun and light, which in its centuries long history, had very bright and dark moments, many temptations, ordeal and distractions, but this fertile soil, regardless of political and social difficulties, always bore new seeds of the unforgettable. Going back to the roots, one of the most important pages of Macedonian history is the beginning of Slavonic literacy and literature, which indicates that this ground set the foundation of all Slavonic literacy. Holy covenant left to us by holy brothers Cyril and Methodius and their disciples Clement and Nahum of Ohrid, then all the reformers of the first half of XIX century, predecessors of Misirkov, followers of the Koneski — all somehow contain synthesis that language and literacy are the light of human existence. In the introduction to the Holy Gospel, St. Cyril says that the “book is most expensive gift in the life of nations" and that "the soul without books is dead, like a mouth without sweetness"... Adherent of Cyrillo-Methodian work, the father of Macedonian medieval literature and the founder of the Macedonian-Slav church, Clement of Ohrid, founded the first university in the Balkans on the Macedonian soil, Ohrid Literary School, which has get its mediators soon in the modern Eastern Macedonia also.

Following the path of his teachers, Clement as one of the first creators of the Macedonian-Slav poetic language, for a major inspiration of his words had the light of the sun, rays and the stars, despite the physical and spiritual darkness. Beginning with Saint-Clementian church, until today, the spiritual life of the Macedonian people is characterized by uninterrupted continuity and tradition. In recent years, with renewal of monasticism, spiritual life of the Macedonian monasteries and churches experience a true revival. Therefore we will include theological texts on our portal also.

Eternal struggle with light and darkness (oblivion), will be continued by contemporary  fertile and renowned writers who take role of enlighteners amid global trends of various anti-propagandas and falsifying organizations.

Following further line of development, along elderly (founders) and further masters of contemporary poetry and prose, we will reserve also space for selected examples of drama and film art, archeology, with an ultimate goal – to expose artifacts...

Therefore, let this our project will be a contribution to the relationship toward values of the Macedonian cultural heritage and its digitalization. There, we will be lead by digressive conclusion that although there were few of legal archaeological research in the past, the history and truth never remain completely buried underground.

To protect and preserve what is ours and which we should show to the neighbors and the World.

To detect similarities and differences in tradition and culture.

To connect past and present through the electronic link to the unforgettable.

To create a virtual Macedonian chronotope.

With noble thought and desire that our digital library will be enriched with more representative Macedonian creative works and invaluable cultural values,

Sofija Trenčovska,
Editor-in-chief of "Project Rastko – Macedonia”