On December 7, 2022 (Wednesday), the National and University Library St. Clement of Ohrid – Skopje, commemorated and celebrated the patron saint and state holiday – St. Clement of Ohrid and marked the 50th anniversary of the opening of the NUL building, St. Clement of Ohrid – Skopje, designed by the eminent Macedonian architect, Petar Mulichkoski (2.3.1929 – 8.8.2022).
The Deputy Minister of Culture, Mr. Daim Luchi, the ambassador of the People’s Republic of China, the ambassador of the Kingdom of Spain, and other representatives of the diplomatic corps attended the ceremony.

The celebration began with the performance of the national anthem by a choir from the School of Music in Skopje; then, the director of the NUL St. Clement of Ohrid, Rahmetula Kuqi, awarded certificates of appreciation for special contribution to the Ministry of Culture, the embassies of the People’s Republic of China and the Kingdom of Spain as well as to the following donors, NLB Bank, Croatia Insurance, KS Service, NOVA International Schools and, Bibi’s World.
In the second half of the ceremony, Professor Mitko B. Panov delivered a celebratory speech about St. Clement of Ohrid, after which Professor Minas Bakalchev discussed the history of the NUL St. Clement of Ohrid building, and Bojana Mulichkoska spoke on behalf of the Mulichkoski family about Professor Petar Mulichkoski.
Prof. Mitko B. Panov acknowledged the revered Saint Clement and the value of his legacy in the Macedonian language, literacy, and culture preserved by the National and University Library, which bears Saint Clement’s name. He extolled,

Clement was and is, and in the future will be, Ohrid, ours, Macedonian, and all-Slavic. Because with his death, he “put the end that matched the beginning and the roof that perfectly matched the foundation” (Theophylact of Ohrid).
That is why we will honor him forever because he is the creator of his home and ours, the eternal beacon of our church and our world.

In his speech, Prof. Minas Bakalchev described the NUL as “a real public palace,” and explained that,

The National and University Library St. Clement of Ohrid is a testament to what contemporary Macedonian architecture can and should be – modest, clever, and imbued with endless inner wealth. In such a way, the humility and splendor of Mulichkoski’s library are expressed.

The ceremony continued with the handing out of the Library of the Year 2022 awards and the Clement Award for Lifetime Achievement by the Library Association of North Macedonia as well as the traditional awards for the NUL employees who celebrated their jubilee anniversaries for their service at the NUL St. Clement of Ohrid and retired during 2022.
The celebration ended with the exhibition showcase dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the opening of the NUL building, which is the work of architect Petar Mulichkoski. This exhibition included portraits of Saint Clement of Ohrid, and a part of Mr. Klime Korobar’s art collection, featuring works by Vasko Tashkovski, Gligor Chemerski, Petar Popchev, and many others.

We look forward to many more celebrations in the years to come!