WorldFestivalAssociation

                                     I N V I T A T I O N

    With pleasure we INVITE you (children, youth and adults groups),(Folk ensembles,Choral groups,orchestras, brass bands,majorette teams and modern dance groups) to participate on XXX International music &  dance  Festival“ OHRID FESTIVAL DAYS”   05 - 09 July , Ohrid 2024

  The intention of our invitation  and the Festival light motive is to present the cultural tradition of different countries and to provide an opportunity for the members of groups to get together, to establish friendships and culture presentation trough dance and music.

  The seven wonders of Ohrid

Macedonia, deep in the heart of the Balkan Peninsula, is simply a small country with extraordinary beauty.

This ancient and biblical land is probably one of the last visited and least known countries in Europe, which in a way makes it even more mysterious and attractive .

Finally, this terra incognita is now ready to be discovered. And without any doubt, its most precious jewels, shining one next to the other, are the city of Ohrid and the lake Ohrid .

This is not just another story about some attractive tourist destination in Europe.

Unfortunately, not many people in Europian union are still aware about at least 7 remarkable universal achievements connected to the entire human civilization :

According to famous television game show “who wants to be a millionaire “{2007} ,Ohrid is declared as the oldest city in the world, with continuous civilization advancement! Indeed, according to many historians, Lychnidos-the city of light (the ancient name of Ohrid ) was build in the 4th century B.C, but humans have lived there for more then 8.000 years. There are for sure settlements on many other places around the globe, but somehow and sometimes they were turned into abandoned and lifeless ruins. Reasons were different: earthquakes, floods, volcano eruptions , diseases, wars....here in Ohrid, from its beginning until today, life still goes on without ending.

That is why is also called “the kingdom of archeologists”.

This small city seemed to be irresistible for great ancient rulers and kings, such as the legendary Phoenician prince Cadmus who build it, Fillip 2 of Macedon who once conquered and reconstructed it, Alexander the Great who enjoyed in it, Czar Samuel who ruled from it and many more.

However, Ohrid is the only place in the world where 2 recognized saints actually lived in the same time - St. Kliment of Ohrid (840-916) and St.Naum of Ohrid(830-910), putting an extremely strong stamp of their existence.

These 2 exceptional persons, the very best students of Cyril and Methodius, were in fact the most educated people in the world in their time. Among other achievements, they will always be remembered as establishers of the first University in Europe (893), located in Ohrid Old Town, long before the University in Bologna (1088)!

Besides that, St. kliments and St. Naum of Ohrid were investors of the Cyrillic Alphabet. As a result of their creativity and incredible work, today more then 200 million people still use this alphabet, mostly in Southeast and Eastern Europe.

Ancient ruins, beautiful amphitheater, 3 citadel walls, St.Sofia Cathedral, many churches and monasteries, gallery of exclusive icons, museums, workshops for hand-made paper, woodcarving and famous Ohrid pearls, are among hundreds sites for tourists worth to visit. There is also a strong Roman connection to the city, since Lychnidos was along the famous route Via Egnatia, build in the 2nd century B.C., connecting the Adriatic and Aegean seas.

Considering the number of churches located in the Old town (365 churches according to the immemorial legend, for local people to celebrate every single day by honoring another saint), Ohrid is called “the Balkan Jerusalem”, successfully playing the role as the biggest pilgrimage spot for all the Orthodox Christian in the world.

One of the most extraordinary churches in Ohrid is the mother of god Theotokos Peribletos-“ The most holy who can take a look everywhere”. Build in the year 1295, this church is a pure masterpiece of the medieval sacred architecture. But more than that , the most incredible elements are the frescos inside this church, painted in the same year by Michael and Eutychios . Actually, at the end of the 13th century, before any similar artistic movements on Italian soil, exactly 10 years before the first fresco-painting of Giotto in Padua’s Arena Chapel (1305), the name of god will be glorified in Ohrid with frescos containing exclusive elements of the earliest start.

In 1979 and in 1980, Ohrid and Lake Ohrid were accepted as a Cultural and Natural World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. In fact, Ohrid is one of only 28 sites that are part of UNESCO's World Heritage that are both Cultural and Natural sites.

Lake Ohrid is one of Europe’s deepest and according to most experts the oldest lake in Europe. The importance of the lake was further emphasized when it was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1979. Feel Ohrid for once in your life and you already know why you will return. For more information visit www.ohridinfo.mk  Festival program will be held on the main square in Ohrid. 

                General rules :

-         The number of groups participants of the festival are not limited,

- Every  group  has the right to participate. 

-        is a non-competitive sample of traditional and modern dances and music performed by  groups.

-         On the festival may participate children and youth folklore dance groups, modern dance groups, vocal groups, instrumental groups and soloists, as well as groups and performers from other art styles.

-         The number of participants are limited (only 3  groups from each country),

-         Each group should consist of most 70 members including dancers, managers, musicians and family members,

-         Ensemble should have prepared at least 2 folk dances 12-15 minutes each with orchestra or USB.

-         The Choral groups -two parts from 12 – 18 minutes free program. The performances will be in the evening hours so you can plan the day ahead and use it for visiting the historical part of the city and  excursions. Also, we will choose the best girl's and men's folk costume and the best dancing couple

-         To send us short CV and photos of the group,

-         To take a flag of the country,

-  Collectives should have there own transport for arrival and departure,                       

      Program Proposal

Day 1 

  13.00.Arrivalin Ohrid, , hotel accommodation,

19.00 – 20.00 Dinner in hotel

21.00. Welcome reception with leaders of the groups

Day 2 

 09.00 -11.00 Breakfast,

 11.00 -14.00  Ohrid sightseeing – visiting cultural monuments (St.Sofia church, Samoil fortress – entres 1 euro, Antique theatre, Plaosnik- St.Kliment church – enter 2 euro, St. Kaneo church, Bridge of wishes  …)

         17.00 - 18.30 Dinner in hotel

       19.00. Ensembles parade (old town)

      19.30. Festival evening on the main squere 

 Day 3

 09.00 -11.00 Breakfast,

 11.00 -14.00  Struga  sightseeing – visiting cultural monuments, visiting-  Kalishta or Vevcani ethno villige  

         17.00 - 18.30 Dinner in hotel

       19.00. Ensembles parade (old town)

      19.30. Workshop - learning different dances or Second festival evening (optional)

  Day 4 

   09.00 – 10.00 Breakfast ,

11.00 – 15.30 Cruising with boat on Ohrid Lake, visit Museum on water and most famous tourist resort  St.Naum monastery, culture  place, – (price 12 euros per person,  dancing boat),

  19.00 – 20.00 Dinner in hotel

21.00.- 00.00 Party with all participants

 Day 5

09.00 Breakfast

11.00 Departure of the participants

Participation fee :

 - 85 euro for 4 days ( 3 nights with 2 meals per day - breakfast, dinner)

-  118 euro for 5 days, (4 nights with 2 meals per day - breakfast ,dinner)

-  105 euro for 4 days (3 nights with 3 meals per day (Full Board).

- 138 euro for 5 days, (4 nights with 3 meals per day, breakfast, lunch and dinner) …

• It covers hotel accommodation in hotels which are located in center of the city, or in the lake and accommodation will be  in 2 double rooms for drivers and leaders and others in triple and quadriple rooms … 

• Hotel Montenegrin - hotel in the center of the city www.montenegrininn.com 

• Hotel De Luks Apartmant -  in the center of the city…

            Hotel Plaza - www.galebiplaza.com.mk - hotel on the lake

• Hotel Desaret is 3* hotel on the lake with outdoor swimming pool and only our organization has right of this hotel (hotel is renoveted) Meals are open buffet and price is: 

  - 99 euro 3 HB per person (3 nights with 2 meals per day (Half Board)

  -104 euro 3 FB per person (3 nights with 3 meals per day (Full Board)

  - 126 euro 4 HB per person (4 nights with 2 meals per day (Half  Board).

  - 136 euro 4 FB per person (4 nights with 3 meals per day (Full Board). 

  https://desaret-hotel.hellomacedonia.com/en/  

-       Festival organizers provide:

- for 24 dancers – one gratis,

-         souvenir and gift for each group,

-         Certificate for attendance,

-         Welcome cocktail

-         drinks during the performance,

-         free parking

-     advertising of the festival (press release, social media promions, posters)

 INSURANCE: 

Personal responsibility and health insurance are within the other obligations of the groups. First Aid and Medical Hospital will be available, medical services must be covered by the group.

On your request,  You can continue your stay in Ohrid. Price will be 30 Euro per day per person HB and 34 FB– price is special for the participants in festivals that we can provide in hotel Desaret.

 After Groups arrived in Hotel will be given detailed program of the festival and each group will have guide during festival.

    After the festival finish organizers will send you link from whre you can take the photos of the festival.

   The festival will organize the transport for the groups coming by plane by picking them up from airport, during the festival days and back to the airport. You can also arrive through Skopje, Tirana (Albania) or Thessaloniki (Greece)  Airport which are only 200 km from Ohrid. The cost of the transportation will be covered by the group and will be additionally agreed according to their number. We will also assist you in obtaining visa for Macedonia if necessary.

Also, you can arrive by plane in Ohrid airport and we will organize free transport to the hotel.

By applying you confirm that you accept all festival conditions. All detailed information  will be supply after your confirmation for participations.

In 2018 we had 7 groups with 244 participants from 6 EU countries.

In 2019 we had 8 groups with 253 participants  (children, youth and adults) from 7 countries.

NEWS ABOUT THE FESTIVAL                                   Published on 21.07.2019

PARTICIPANTS FROM 7 COUNTRIES TOOK PART AT THE FESTIVAL ”

From 07 -11July  was held the XI International Festival “Ohrid festival days”.The festival was attended by 450 participants from Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey,Poland,Serbia and Macedonia. Festival evening took on the main squere center in Ohrid.. At the end of the evening all the groups danced together ”, said Mr. Zoran Strezovski, who gave Certificates for participation and gifts to the participants on the final party.

“Besides the program of the festival the groups had the opportunity to visit a lot of cultural monuments in Ohrid such as Antique Theater, Samuil’s Fortress, Sveta Sofia Church, Kliment church and St. Joan Caneo Church. They visited St. Naum island and had a boat trip at Ohrid lake.” added Mr. Strezovski.

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Reviews from the groups: 

This festival has review of 7 groups and average estimation is VERY GOOD- 8,6/10