The American Embassy in Skopje approved MAAA's grant proposal about the improvement of MAAA's infrastructure, the renewal of MAAA's website and other functions, and most importantly about organizing a regional Conference for South Eastern European countries (Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Albania), as well as the neighbors from the European Union (Italy, Slovenia, Austria, Hungary, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania). 
The Conference, which is tentatively scheduled from March 23rd (Friday) to March 25th (Sunday), will invite former Fulbright, Ron Brown and Humphrey Alumni from a variety of fields of expertise to discuss possible future collaboration and cooperation.
The main topic of the upcoming Regional Conference was:

“STRATEGIES TO BRING BALKANS CLOSER TO THE EU”

Click here to preview the agenda.              Pictures from the event

Remarks

Ambassador Milovanovic Welcomes Regional Participants to Alumni Conference
Ambassador Milovanovic opened the first regional Fulbright Alumni conference “Strategies to Bring the Balkans Closer to the EU,” hosted by the Macedonian American Alumni Association (MAAA). Sponsored by the U.S. Embassy in Skopje, the conference brought together participants from Macedonia and the region and from as far away as Hungary and Poland, and they were joined by U.S. Fulbright scholars currently working in Macedonia.  The two-day conference provided an invaluable networking opportunity as participants shared ideas and perspectives on a range of topics of mutual interest.
Keynote speakers included Dr. Trajko Slaveski, Minister of Finance; Dr. Vera Lalcevska from the Prime Minister’s Cabinet; Dr. Matjaz Nahtigal, former Advisor to the President of Slovenia; and Dr. Stanislav Pigon of Poland, currently a consultant for the Ministry of Economy, Foreign Investment Sector.   Participants represented a wide spectrum of specialization in a variety of fields, yet all remained focused on the common theme and on ways to deepen collaboration in the future.