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Browse All news & events from the Canadian Macedonian Heritage Society archive, library and community collections.

The DNA Testing Landscape with Murray Maloney

The Canadian Macedonian Heritage Society recently hosted an engaging presentation by Murray Maloney on the role of DNA testing in genealogical research. The session explored how DNA testing can help individuals trace ancestry, uncover family connections, and support family history research, especially when traditional records are incomplete or missing. The presentation also emphasized the importance of combining DNA results with historical records and highlighted key privacy considerations when using genetic testing services

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Chris Paliare Presents: “My Journey in Defending Human Rights for Macedonians, Here and Abroad”

The Canadian Macedonian Historical Society was pleased to host Chris Paliare for an engaging presentation, “My Journey in Defending Human Rights for Macedonians, Here and Abroad.” Paliare reflected on the early years of Macedonian human rights advocacy in Canada during the 1980s, when speaking publicly for Macedonian identity and rights was both rare and challenging. He shared his experiences working alongside Mary and Trian Dimitriou and international delegations to bring attention to the human rights struggles of Macedonians in Greece and Bulgaria, efforts that helped shape the formation of the Macedonian Human Rights Movement International in 1986. Through stories of advocacy at both grassroots demonstrations in Toronto and international forums in Helsinki, Warsaw, and Moscow, Paliare reminded attendees that meaningful change begins when individuals choose to stand up, speak out, and defend human rights for future generations.

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"Three countries, two lakes, one future" with Prof. Loring Danforth

The Canadian Macedonian Historical Society was pleased to host Professor Loring M. Danforth for an engaging virtual lecture titled “Three Countries, Two Lakes, One Future: The Prespa Lakes and the Signing of the Prespa Agreement.” Drawing from his chapter in Macedonia and Identity Politics After the Prespa Agreement, Professor Danforth explored the deep historical and political significance of the Prespa region, from its role as the capital of Tsar Samoil’s medieval state to its place in modern Balkan border-making and the signing of the 2018 Prespa Agreement. He examined how the agreement reshaped questions of national identity, language, and citizenship in the region, while highlighting the Prespa Lakes as a powerful symbol of both division and connection between Greece, North Macedonia, and Albania. Through historical analysis and contemporary reflection, Danforth encouraged attendees to re-imagine Macedonia as a shared transboundary space shaped by interconnected histories and a common future.

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Double Book Launch: "BANITSA IN THE MAELSTROM OF THE WARS, 1903-1949" and "THE BELLS WILL RING TOMORROW: Tales of Village Life in Aegean Macedonia"

The Canadian Macedonian Historical Society featured a Zoom double book launch moderated by Professor Emerita Christina Kramer on "BANITSA IN THE MAELSTROM OF THE WARS, 1903-1949' presented by Dr. Constantine Mallin and "THE BELLS WILL RING TOMORROW: Tales of Village Life in Aegean Macedonia" presented by Virginia Evans. "Banitsa was a big influential village and here is its story of turmoil affecting the unsettled lives of 3 generations of resilient Macedonians." "There is nothing in English that deals with Macedonian culture in this way. Human response to death, grieving, exploitation and fear, struggle and survival ... a powerful vehicle of storytelling." To order a copy of "Banitsa in the Maelstrom of the Wars, 1903-1949," please email Dr. Dan Mallin at: cdan.mallin@utoronto.ca To order a copy of "The Bells Will Ring Tomorrow: Tales of Village Life in Aegean Macedonia," please email Virginia Evans at: vaenter@rogers.com

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How History will look upon the Prespa Agreement with Prof. Keith Brown

What Will History Say About the Prespa Agreement? Lecture byKeith Brown Professor, University of Arizona The Canadian Macedonian Heritage Society welcomed Professor Keith Brown, Director of the Melikian Center for Russian, Eurasian and East European Studies at the University of Arizona, for an engaging lecture examining the historical and political implications of the Prespa Agreement and its impact on the writing of Macedonian history.

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DOORS OPEN Toronto - May 26-27, 2018

For the first time, Canadian Macedonian Place (CMP) joined the annual Doors Open Toronto event, collaborating with the Canadian Macedonian Historical Society (CMHS) and the Macedonian Film Festival (MFF) to showcase Macedonian heritage to the city. Visitors were treated to architectural tours of the seniors' residence, access to Canada's only Macedonian museum and its vast library, and a unique screening of restored archival films by the pioneering Manaki brothers. Beyond displaying traditional costumes, art, and immigration history, the event emphasized the power of community, serving as a successful model of how Macedonian organizations can work together to share their vibrant culture and history with the broader public.

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Archives of the Mobile Lanscape: Skopje Postcards, 1899-2014 by Prof. Christina Kramer

In her presentation, "Archives of the Mobile Landscape: Skopje Postcards, 1899–2014," Professor Christina Kramer explores how a century of political and environmental upheaval is reflected through the shifting "frame" of the postcard. By tracking four iconic landmarks—the Kale Fortress, the Stone Bridge, Macedonia Square, and the Old Bazaar—Kramer demonstrates how successive regimes used these spaces to project power, evidenced by the constant renaming of sites and the changing symbols on their facades. Beyond the visual architecture, the messages written by soldiers, travelers, and students provide a human record of a city that has survived occupation, war, and the devastating 1963 earthquake, ultimately revealing Skopje’s resilient history of destruction and reimagining.

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Chai Chats

On Sunday, February 18, 2018, the Canadian Macedonian Historical Society (CMHS) launched its inaugural "Chai Chats" event at the Canadian Macedonian Place, bringing together over 35 community members to celebrate their heritage over traditional mountain tea and pastries. The gathering served as a vital platform for showcasing significant cultural acquisitions, including a handmade kaval, ancient Macedonian coins, and rare 19th-century linguistic texts donated by Professor Christina Kramer. A centerpiece of the event was an emotional presentation by Zoe Christo, who donated a portrait of her grandfather, the legendary revolutionary Ilija Digalov, sharing the harrowing story of his life as a freedom fighter and his ultimate sacrifice in 1922. By blending social connection with the formal preservation of artifacts and oral histories, the CMHS reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that the Macedonian-Canadian experience remains a vibrant and documented legacy for future generations.

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