News - USA, Chicago, Consulate General of the Republic of Bulgaria

The 105th Convention of the Macedonian Patriotic Organization (MPO), one of the oldest organizations representing immigrants from the geographic region of Macedonia in North America, was held in Cleveland, Ohio. Founded in 1922 by Macedonian-Bulgarians, today the MPO brings together immigrants, their descendants, and members connected to the geographic region of Macedonia, regardless of their ethnic background.

This year’s Convention commemorated the 120th anniversary of the death of Dame Gruev, a prominent Macedonian-Bulgarian revolutionary and teacher, one of the founders and leaders of the Internal Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Organization (IMARO/IMRO) and a key figure in the liberation movement in Macedonia and Thrace. The Convention also featured a historical panel dedicated to the life and legacy of Dame Gruev and his fellow revolutionary, the lesser-known voivode Stoyan Malchankov.

For another consecutive year, special guests at the Convention included representatives of the Macedonian Scientific Institute in Sofia, a sister organization of the MPO: its Chairman, Assoc. Prof. Milen Mihov, and Vice Chairman, Assoc. Prof. Naum Kaychev.

By decision of the MPO Central Committee, an annual award was also established in the name of George A. Lebamoff, a longtime leader of the organization who served as MPO President from 2006 to 2008 and passed away in February 2026. The award will honor his legacy and his decades of dedication to the MPO and its mission.

During the 105th Convention, Consul General of the Republic of Bulgaria in Chicago Svetoslav Stankov was presented with a Certificate of Recognition by the Macedonian Patriotic Organization, becoming the first Bulgarian diplomat to receive this distinction. The recognition highlights his support for the MPO’s mission and activities, his efforts to facilitate support from Bulgarian institutions for the organization’s initiatives, and his involvement in projects aimed at preserving the MPO’s historical heritage. These include the reprinting of the 1940 Macedonian Almanac and support for the digitization and preservation of the historical archives of the Macedonian Tribune.

Consul General Stankov expressed his gratitude to the MPO Central Committee, MPO President Nicholas Stefanoff, and the organization’s members for their trust, recognition, and the friendship built over the years. “I accept this distinction above all as recognition of the friendship, trust, and cooperation we have built over the years, as well as of our shared efforts to preserve the MPO’s rich historical heritage. Preserving historical memory is not merely about looking back at the past. It is an investment in the future and a way to ensure that future generations know the documents, individuals, and events that shaped the history of the immigrant community in North America,” Consul General Stankov said.

More than a century after its establishment, the MPO continues to preserve historical memory while building bridges among people and generations. History should be known and preserved not to divide us, but to help build a future based on freedom, mutual respect, and reconciliation.