Macedonian Agenda

Introduction

The 1990s mark the 100th anniversary of the arrival of the first Macedonians in Australia, believed to have been in 1893. In this period, Macedonian-Australians have produced a considerable body of writing, a growing percentage of which is in English. While a good number of books and periodicals have been preserved, there have been few anthologies to record the many theses, essays and articles also produced.

With 16 essays by 14 writers, Macedonian Agenda is the most ambitious effort to date to fill this need. It is however only a beginning. The essays in Macedonian Agenda were written between 1988 and 1995 and represent a selection of the best writing by Macedonian-Australians during the period. The essays were all written in English and have as a common theme the development of the Macedonian people and culture in the Australian setting.

The essays give an insight into a range of topics close to the Macedonian heart. These include: cultural values, language, religion, arts, identity, women's issues, the elderly, settlement, politics, human rights, and the "child refugees" from Greece, among others.

Macedonian Agenda is suitable for general readers and researchers wishing to learn about the Macedonians in Australia as well as for readers of Macedonian background. The essays may be read in the order presented or according to the reader's own order of interests.

All of the writers are Australians of Macedonian background. The 14 authors comprise 11 individuals and three organizations. Among the individual authors are seven men and four women. The writers come from all major Macedonian settlements around Australia: Perth, Adelaide, Geelong, Melbourne, Canberra-Queanbeyan, Wollongong, Sydney and Newcastle. They are also representative in that their origins are in both the Republic of Macedonia and Aegean Macedonia (northern Greece).

Australia has been very good to its Macedonian immigrants, particularly in terms of educational opportunities and economic prosperity. The fact that most of the authors were born in Australia indicates how Australia has allowed the Macedonian spirit to find a freedom and expression that has too frequently been denied in its divided homeland.

The Editor

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Macedonian Agenda

Copyright: 1995

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