1. INSTITUTE FOR BALKAN STUDIES
The Balkan is a big community of nations, languages and cultures where they meet, cross and even clash. Living through the centuries on this territory the Balkan peoples managed to create common features that are typical for the Balkan nations. Such is the example of the Balkan linguistic alliance where numerous languages with different language typologies have created common features, creating something that the linguist Shaban Demiraj calls the Balkan linguistics.
In that sense Skopje, as the synapsis of different nations, languages and cultures is the most appropriate place for the a scientific institute that would look into these characteristics in discovering the common features of the Balkan peoples and of what in the future could be the Balkan civilisation. Such institutes at the moment in our region exist in the Republic of Serbia, Republic of Greece and Republic of Bulgaria, but the Republic of Macedonia as the crossroad of different languages, cultures and traditions still has no such an institute.
Research topics: ‐ Research in the Balkan language alliance
Research topics:
In our region there are numerous Islamic theological schools and faculties, but none of them have a scientific institute that studies the history of the Islam in this region and its important role for the wellbeing of the region. Looking at the Bosnian theological Islamic thought that is being developed into an authentic European Islamic thought, it is becoming necessary in Skopje to also have such an institute, which apart from studying the Islamic tradition at home it will also be important for establishing networks for scientific cooperation and dialogue with the other kindred institutes in the Balkans and wider, and not only from Islamic provenance.
Research topics:
Development processes as well as investments in building human resources are maybe the key driving forces of success in a modern society. Hence, we believe that such a centre shall serve that goal in finding really worthy sources for this development.
Culture, tradition, music, art and other spiritual products are also in the focus of FOCIC’s vision. Namely, FOCIC strives towards creating favourable conditions for stimulating such values and deeds that undoubtedly will be a blessing not only for our immediate society, but they will also have a positive impact in the region and even globally.
The Balkan is a big community of nations, languages and cultures where they meet, cross and even clash. Living through the centuries on this territory the Balkan peoples managed to create common features that are typical for the Balkan nations. Such is the example of the Balkan linguistic alliance where numerous languages with different language typologies have created common features, creating something that the linguist Shaban Demiraj calls the Balkan linguistics.In that sense Skopje, as the synapsis of different nations, languages and cultures is the most appropriate place for the a scientific institute that would look into these characteristics in discovering the common features of the Balkan peoples and of what in the future could be the Balkan civilisation. Such institutes at the moment in our region exist in the Republic of Serbia, Republic of Greece and Republic of Bulgaria, but the Republic of Macedonia as the crossroad of different languages, cultures and traditions still has no such an institute.
Research topics:
‐ Research in the Balkan literature
‐ Research in the Balkan history
‐ Research in the intercultural relations in the Balkans
‐ Research in the anthropological, ethnological and artistic characteristics of the
Balkan nations
‐ Cooperation with universities and scientific institutes in the country and the
region
‐ Scholarships for students from higher education institutions in this field
‐ Scientific conferences, symposiums and seminars
‐ Organising post‐graduate and doctoral studies
‐ Publishing scientific books, magazines, newsletters, etc.
‐ Creating different departments: linguistics, arts, history
2. INSTITUTE FOR INTERACTION AMONG CIVILISATIONS
Regardless of the dark images from the past, still the world has proven that when there is dialogue people manage to find a common language for their life on Earth. Today the dialogue is necessary for all the people around the world, for all the religions, nations, cultures and civilisations. Setting off from that, FOCIC shall strive towards strengthening those values, especially in our region, where the dialogue is necessary and where the differences have to collaborate in order to be able to live in prosperity and peace. Apart from this as a place where various diversities from the East and the West (religions, nations,
civilisations, cultures) meet, FOCIC believes that the Balkans could serve as a good example for the rest of the world where through dialogue and interaction, people manage to rise above their narrow interests and to look at the world as a place for peaceful coexistence of all people.
Research topics:
‐ Research in the international relations in the world
‐ Building a bridge and cooperation between the Republic of Macedonia and the
countries from the Middle East
‐ Objective analysis of the situation in the Balkans and the Middle East
‐ Cooperation with kindred institutions in the EU
‐ Promoting culture of dialogue and reconciliation among different civilisations
‐ Developing intercultural competence
‐ Research in the contemporary theological thought and creating conditions for
joint projects with representatives of different religions
‐ Annual meetings with religious representatives
‐ Developing cooperation in the spirit of UN’s "Alliance of Civilizations”
‐ Publishing scientific books, magazines, newsletters, reports and analysis
‐ Organising post‐graduate and doctoral studies
‐ Creating various departments
3. INSTITUTE FOR ORIENTAL AND ISLAMIC STUDIES
In our region there are numerous Islamic theological schools and faculties, but none of them have a scientific institute that studies the history of the Islam in this region and its important role for the wellbeing of the region. Looking at the Bosnian theological Islamic thought that is being developed into an authentic European Islamic thought, it is becoming necessary in Skopje to also have such an institute, which apart from studying the Islamic tradition at home it will also be important for establishing networks for scientific cooperation and dialogue with the other kindred institutes in the Balkans and wider, and not only from Islamic provenance.Research topics:
‐ Study of mutual cultural, linguistic and historical relations between the Orient
and the Balkans, with a special emphasis on Macedonia in those relations
- Study of the history of Islam in Macedonia
‐ Study of the development of the Islamic thought in the Balkans
‐ Developing Islamic philosophy
‐ Publishing scientific books and magazines
‐ Organising post‐graduate and doctoral studies
‐ Creating various departments: Arabic philology, Islamic thought, Islamic
Civilization, culture and art, Koran contemporary studies, etc.
‐ Cooperation with scientific centres from the Islamic world.
4. CENTRE FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND HUMAN RESOURCES
Development processes as well as investments in building human resources are maybe the key driving forces of success in a modern society. Hence, we believe that such a centre shall serve that goal in finding really worthy sources for this development.Research topics:
‐ Research in the economic development of the country and the region as well as in
finding possible investments in the country.
‐ Health capacity development
‐ Study and affirmation of family, and demography researches
‐ Advancing the position of women and fighting against discrimination
‐ Improving social and living standards
‐ Situation analysis in the area of political social living
‐ Cooperation among the young people in our region
‐ Achieving cooperation and friendship among the young people from the Balkans and
other countries
‐ Young people from the Balkans joining various other youth alliances
‐ Realisation of joint youth projects
‐ Organising various youth seminars
‐ Finding possibilities for scholarships for young people for specialisations and
professional advancing
‐ Creating various departments
5. FORUM FOR CULTURE
Culture, tradition, music, art and other spiritual products are also in the focus of FOCIC’s vision. Namely, FOCIC strives towards creating favourable conditions for stimulating such values and deeds that undoubtedly will be a blessing not only for our immediate society, but they will also have a positive impact in the region and even globally.The Forum shall organise:
‐ Concerts
‐ Calligraphy workshops
‐ Exhibitions
‐ Film production
‐ Design
‐ Art events
‐ Discovering of foreign cultures
‐ Developing cultural tourism
6. MUSEUM OF THE OTTOMAN ISLAMIC HERITAGE IN THE R.M
Regardless of the rich cultural and artistic tradition of the Ottoman Islamic culture that developed in our region, regretfully there is still no special institution that collects artefacts from that heritage and exhibits them for the broader domestic and foreign public.
That is the reason for having this museum that aims at:
‐ Collecting artefacts from the Ottoman‐Islamic monuments in the Balkans, such as
inscriptions, columns, items in stone and wood, etc.
‐ Creating an art gallery
‐ Presentation of the Ottoman‐Islamic heritage in Macedonia through various artistic
and documentary exhibitions.
‐ Digital presentation of the Ottoman‐Islamic art in the Balkans
‐ Creating a studio for digitalisation of the cultural heritage in the Balkans
7. A LIBRARY AND A SCIENTIFIC ARCHIVE
Even though the libraries around the world are maybe the most important scientificeducational institutions, here it seems that this area is left only to the National University Library as the central institution of this kind. The efforts of FOCIC is to create a library that would be of great help to the scientific institutes that are to be formed within FOCIC.
Its task will be:
‐ To create if possible the richest library in the region in the field of social sciences and
arts and an open library for all scientists, master and doctoral students as well as for
young scientists
‐ To cooperate with kindred libraries in the region and the world
‐ To create an e‐library
‐ To collect old manuscripts and books
‐ To create a network of a digital library with an access to all the necessary scientific
publications from anywhere around the world