“Being different in this world is not easy, especially for girls and women due to existing stereotypes that discourage them from pursuing their dreams. But I wanted to be different, and so I stayed different.” says Ljupka Vrteva from Strumica, who refused to let anything hold her back and won the 2023 Woman Engineer of the Year award in Slovenia.

Her success story highlights the importance of developing #skills and #self-awareness from a #young age. We believe in pushing boundaries to make the world a better place for everyone. We strive to support young people and break the barriers that prevent them from reaching their goals. Let’s take inspiration from Ljupka’s determination and encourage all young people to pursue their passions, regardless of gender or background.

Did you know that the percentage of women in science in the Republic of North Macedonia is 52.3%? It’s a great time to be a young woman interested in science, and we’re proud to have celebrated the International Day of Women and Girls in Science on February 11th. At the Faculty of Science and Mathematics in Skopje (PMF), we hosted an event where female science professionals and high school girls interested in science came together to learn about the sciences studied in our country and the opportunities that natural sciences offer.

 

To give the girls a hands-on experience, they visited four laboratories at PMF. They observed laboratory processes in two of them and participated in laboratory work in the other two. We believe that learning is best through practice, and we were thrilled to see the girls engage with science in such a meaningful way.

Fun fact: It’s worth mentioning that in 2022, the number of female scientists and engineers in the European Union increased by 310,500, reaching almost 7.3 million. This represents 41% of the total employment in science and engineering at the EU level. Denmark (53%), Lithuania (52%), and Bulgaria (51%) lead the pack with the highest percentage of female scientists and engineers, followed by Germany (34%), Finland (32%), and Hungary (31%).

The Youth Skills and Innovation Fair held at Europe House Kriva Palanka marked a celebration of young talents from Kriva Palanka, Kumanovo, Kočani, Kratovo, Lipkovo, and Rankovce. The event was attended by the Head of the Delegation of the European Union, Ambassador David Geer, and the Deputy Head of Mission, Mr Ben Nupnau.

 

The young minds exhibited their diverse skills in cooking, music, computer science, and mechanics, showcasing their innovative ideas and final products. Their exceptional talents and hard work were a testament to the need for investing in the younger generation. It is evident that supporting young individuals with promising ambition will undeniably shape a better future.

Fun fact: Over the past three years, Europe House Kriva Palanka has hosted over 500 events and welcomed more than 22,000 participants. It has become a place that fosters creativity and growth for the new generation!

Europe House Strumica recently celebrated the first anniversary of its Book Club, which was established in partnership with the city library “Blagoj Jankov-Mučeto” and young writer Renata Atanasova. The Book Club provides young people with a place to gather and share their love for literature, friendship, and insightful discussions.

“We are delighted to inspire young people to read more books and think critically.” – Europe House Strumica

To celebrate its 3rd birthday, we hosted a panel discussion on “Harmonizing Passion and Career” under the slogan “Empower and Thrive: Navigating Career and Life Challenges.” The panel featured some of the most successful and influential personalities in their respective fields, including Aleksandar Dinev (a TikTok influencer), Natalija Lubeska (an artist), Goran Mitrov (General Manager at Tzar Samoil and Brand Manager at Elena Luka), Dr Milijana Kacarska, M.D. (a psychiatry subspecialist), and moderator Susana Miceva (a journalist, host, and writer). These panellists shared their stories of success, their challenges, and the knowledge they gained on their journey to achieving their goals.

“I hope that young people here will prepare for their future and lead the country along the European path” – David Geer.

The birthday celebration continued with a live jazz performance by Pariz Jazz – Swin 42, featuring Filip Dinev on guitar, Kiril Kuzmanov on saxophone, and Kiril Tufekdzievski on double bass.

 

Fun fact: Europe House Strumica has organized over 500 events with 24,000 participants in the past three years, and this year alone, they organized 200 events with a total of 6,885 participants.

We had a fantastic time celebrating International Mother Language Day with Monday Learning and a mini-hackathon at Europe House Bitola! It was amazing to see 14 talented graphic design students, both current and alumni, come together and create beautiful graphic works and posters on the theme of “Macedonian Dialects”. They were guided by four experienced mentors and the 6-hour hackathon was simply incredible!

“Our language is full of dialects, which we see as a symbol of its constant growth and a source of inspiration for young people. Preserving our mother tongue is about bringing people together, connecting generations, and making mutual identification easy. It encourages social and national emancipation, and allows everyone to express their thoughts, feelings, and actions freely. This successful story will be accompanied by a heart-warming exhibition. So many words, so much love!” – Europe House Bitola.

Fun fact: Creative Europe is the European Commission’s programme for providing support to the cultural and creative sectors, and it provides funding for various projects, including design. It encourages cultural diversity, innovation, and youth empowerment.

On February 11th, Europe House Veles celebrated the International Day of Women and Girls in Science with an engaging panel discussion titled “Equal Treatment for Equal Values”. The event featured two amazing women leaders in the technological sphere: Professor Dr Daniela Nikolovska-Nedelkoska and Natasha Pejčeva, Food Engineer and Technologist at AGRIA. They both talked about how the modern age brings new opportunities for women and how we can overcome stereotypes that discourage us from pursuing science-related fields.

“Hard work, research, and coming up with significant results are the keys to success.” – Daniela Nikolovska-Nedelkoska

Meanwhile, at AGRIA, most of the employees are women who are consistently attending seminars and upgrading their knowledge base.

“These professions require sacrifice, but it’s all worth it if you love what you do, if you are ready to face new challenges, and stay longer hours. But the most important thing is to have the support of your family and friends.” – Natasha Pejčeva

Fun Fact: At the Faculty of Technology and Technical Sciences in Veles, 13 out of 15 members of the teaching staff are women. Not bad, right?

Dear Buzzers,

Are you ready to take on the world? We believe in you and your potential! Stay active, keep developing your skills and always keep learning something new! As we sign off, we leave you with the inspiring words of Ljupka Vrteva: “Every woman is capable, every woman can do anything, every woman has wings, she just needs to fly! Be yourself, be different! Always and everywhere!”

Until next time, keep soaring!