Gordana Siljanovska‑Davkova: October 11 a pledge that freedom is won by courage

President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova issued a message on October 11 — the Day of the People’s Uprising — calling the date a lasting pledge that freedom is won by courage, justice requires steadfastness and sacrifice, and a state is built through work, honour and responsibility.

In a post on her Facebook profile she recalled the start of the 1941 uprising: "On October 11, 1941, Macedonian insurgents joined the anti-fascist democratic front, determined to continue the path of the Ilinden fighters toward final victory and freedom, forming a Macedonian state. On October 11, 1941, Macedonian sons and daughters set out in a decisive fight against the fascist occupiers, defending the homeland. At a time when fascist forces marched through European countries, the peace-loving Macedonian people were not silent observers of evil, but patriotically accepted the obligation to liberate. The guiding idea of the uprising as a popular resistance was the centuries-long aspiration for a free Macedonian state. The uprising grew into the National Liberation Struggle, through which, with blood, self-sacrifice and the steadfastness of known and unknown heroes, the path to ASNOM was charted," Siljanovska-Davkova wrote.

She emphasised that October 11 is more than a historical date: it is an unforgettable memory and an enduring covenant to protect and develop the homeland. That covenant, she said, should not be reduced to recalling names and events but must shape public and state life worthy of the sacrifices.

"The insurgents from Prilep and Kumanovo, and all the others, left us not only a glorious page of the past, but a pledge that freedom is gained by courage, that justice demands firmness and sacrifice, and that a state is built with work, honour and responsibility. Their heroic deed obliges us to be not only grateful descendants, but worthy guardians and defenders of their priceless legacy. Of course, present times impose different priorities, but the human thirst for justice, dignity and free life always remains a vital need," she wrote.

Appeal for unity and rule of law

Reflecting on today’s turbulent and complex historical moment, Siljanovska-Davkova said it requires unity, maturity and wisdom to confront current challenges facing North Macedonia, the European Union and the wider world.

She urged citizens to treat the state as a shared home where differences are reasons to learn from one another rather than to divide, and called for building a legal, democratic and civic society in which laws apply to everyone, institutions serve all people and human dignity is inviolable. "Every generation has its test before history... In the end, to the insurgents and partisans we owe due respect for fighting and leaving us a state! We, in turn, have a political, economic and civic duty to build a democratic, legal and prosperous European state. Let October 11 — the Day of the People’s Uprising — be congratulated," she concluded.

Photo: press material from the event