[Skopje, 24 June] From 4 to 20 June, the 5th jubilee edition of inFusion – the Festival of Inclusion transformed Skopje into an open platform for culture, art, education, entertainment, and new ways of bringing people together.
Through workshops, exhibitions, a march, live music performances, technology, board games, a bazaar, awards, and a mobile theatre performance, the festival created a space where persons with disabilities, young people, families, artists, institutions, and the wider public were not merely spectators, but active participants in a shared story. The fifth edition once again reaffirmed the core message of inFusion: accessibility is not an addition—it is a culture of living, communicating, creating, and sharing public space.
The festival opened on 4 June with the workshop "We Embroider Stories, We Stitch Memories." Using needles, thread, colours, and imagination, participants created unique artworks while also forming new friendships, cherished memories, and unforgettable moments. Once again, the workshop demonstrated that creativity lives within each of us and that art can be a simple yet powerful way to connect, collaborate, and create together.
Day 1
The second festival day, 5 June, was dedicated to culture and accessibility in the arts. At the Museum of Contemporary Art, participants visited the tactile exhibition and had the opportunity to explore the artworks through touch. This experience offered a different approach to engaging with art and demonstrated that it is not experienced only through sight. By opening their senses, visitors experienced culture in a deeper and more intimate way, reaffirming that art should be accessible to everyone.
Day 2
On 6 June, the “March of the Excluded” brought citizens together in support of equal rights, clear sidewalks, safe pathways, and public spaces accessible to everyone.
The march began in front of the Government and the City of Skopje, sending a clear message that accessibility must not be a privilege. Persons with disabilities, families, young people, cyclists, friends, and supporters of the idea that the city should belong to everyone walked together in solidarity.
The programme continued at the Leppeza Summer Stage in City Park with VR experiences, board games, entertainment, and new friendships. The music programme brought energy and atmosphere through performances by DJ Ficho, Aleksandar Tarabunov, and Ilija and the Wild Ones.
On 13 June, the Leppeza Summer Stage was transformed into an all-day festival zone filled with movement, communication, creativity, and music through morning yoga, the “Quiet Gatherings” workshop, the inFusion Bazaar, the street art workshop “Feel in Colour”, and the “See Through My Eyes” activity, organised in cooperation with DУРДМОВ “Dimitar Vlahov”. Through this activity, visitors had the opportunity to learn about Braille, smart canes, screen-reading programmes, and assistive technology, as well as experience different perspectives on accessibility and the everyday challenges faced by persons with visual impairments.
The awards ceremony was held in the presence of the President of the Republic of Macedonia, Ms. Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, as well as numerous representatives of institutions, organisations, companies, guests, and supporters of the festival.
The evening continued with a rich music programme featuring Dragi Ivanov, Mia Perevska, Dimitar Ivanoski, Tina Ruseva, and Martina & Meto Acoustic. Under the open sky, the music transformed Summer Scene Fan into a space for socialising, dancing, smiles, and celebrating diversity.
Day 4
The festival concluded on 20 June with the interactive mobile theatre performance “Three Worlds Plus One”. More than 20 participants, starting from the “Central Park” café in City Park, travelled through three different worlds that explored questions related to physical accessibility, visual impairment, hearing impairment, and accessible communication.
In the finale, at Summer Scene Fan, everyone came together to create the fourth world – the world of togetherness. The performance delivered a clear message that inclusion is not only a law or a project, but a daily choice and responsibility of every individual.
With this, the jubilee fifth edition of the inFusion Festival came to a close, leaving behind new encounters, experiences, and a powerful message that culture, the city, and public spaces are truly open only when everyone has an equal opportunity to participate, create, enjoy, and live.
