Affirming Macedonia’s Anti-Fascist Legacy and the Core Values on Which the Modern Macedonian State Was Founded. The affirmation of Macedonia’s anti-fascist past and the fundamental values upon which the modern Macedonian state was established is part of the active international cooperation of the State Archives of the Republic of North Macedonia. In this context, at the invitation of the State Archives of Montenegro, on September 4, 2025, the exhibition titled ASNOM – An Expression of the Sovereign Will of the Macedonian People to Realize Their Right to Self-Determination was officially opened in the exhibition space of the Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Montenegro in Cetinje. The exhibition is a joint project of the State Archives and the Institute of National History from Skopje, with the directors Prof. Dr. Natasha Kotlar-Trajkova and Prof. Dr. Mitko Panov as its authors.
The event was addressed by the Director of the State Archives of Montenegro, Danilo Mrvaljević, who has emphasized that this exhibition represents a first step toward further cooperation between the two archival institutions. He also highlighted the contribution of the State Archives of Montenegro to the preservation and promotion of archival and historical heritage within a broader regional context. Dr. Jasmina Damjanovska addressed the audience on behalf of the State Archives of the Republic of North Macedonia, stating that it was a great honor to affirm one's own history. Damjanovska added that the state-building history of the Macedonian people was established through ASNOM, which is why it is now publicly presented through this thematic exhibition. The materials featured in the exhibition originate from the “ASNOM” collection, housed in the State Archives of the Republic of North Macedonia, which consists of 22 archival boxes.
The opening of the exhibition was attended by diplomat Natasha Nikolova from the Macedonian Embassy in Podgorica, archivists from the State Archives of Montenegro, as well as citizens of Cetinje. The event was covered by the national broadcaster, Radio-Television of Montenegro, and the exhibition will remain open to the public until the beginning of October. As part of the visit to Cetinje, a delegation from the State Archives of the Republic of North Macedonia visited the State Archives of Montenegro, where a working meeting was held, led by the host, Director Danilo Mrvaljević. During the meeting, concrete ideas were presented for deepening the cooperation between the two institutions.
