Organization
Philosophical Society of Macedonia (PSM) is a civil society organization dedicated to the promotion of philosophy and philosophical education in the Republic of North Macedonia. The Society was originally founded in 1956 and has existed in its current form since 2003. Over the years, it has implemented numerous projects and established collaborations with institutions and associations on initiatives in the field of philosophy, as well as interdisciplinary projects.
It has organized a wide range of philosophical gatherings, public forums, scientific conferences, symposia, and cultural events. Among the most notable are the two-day symposium dedicated to Immanuel Kant (Bitola, June 2004), the Regional Conference of the Association of Philosophers of Southeast Europe hosted by PSM in 2007, and the traditional International Philosophical Dialogue “East-West” (Skopje – Sveti Nikole/Bitola – Ohrid), organized in cooperation with the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts (MASA), the International Slavic University “St. Nicholas,” and the Faculty of Philosophy in Skopje.
Since 2006, the Society is a member of the International Federation of Philosophical Societies – FISP (Fédération Internationale des Sociétés de Philosophie) and is the publisher of the national philosophy journal Philosophical Debate (Филозофска трибина), regularly supported by the Ministry of Culture.
For the past seven years, the Society has organized accredited philosophy competitions for high school seniors and, for the last four years, has also been the organizer of the Macedonian national competition for the International Philosophy Olympiad.
From 2022 to 2024, PSM successfully led the Erasmus+ project “Philosophy with Children for Social Inclusion,” in partnership with organizations from Greece, Slovenia, and North Macedonia.
Since 2004, one of the Society’s core activities has been organizing scientific conferences and symposia to mark World Philosophy Day, established by UNESCO in 2002. In 2024, it will be celebrated for the 22nd time in the country. These events have included gatherings dedicated to major thinkers such as George Berkeley, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, Auguste Comte, Arthur Schopenhauer, David Hume, Charles Darwin, Giambattista Vico, Adam Smith, and Immanuel Kant, as well as thematically focused symposia: “Philosophy and the Macedonian Language,” “Philosophy Today,” “Philosophy and Education,” “Philosophy and Politics,” “Philosophy and Contemporary Times,” “Philosophy and Peace,” “Rethinking Pandemics,” and “Philosophical Thought in Macedonia.” Each symposium has resulted in a thematic issue of Philosophical Debate. In addition, PSM organizes book promotions, public lectures, and remains committed to advancing philosophical values and culture in North Macedonia.
Among the many institutions and organizations with which the Society has collaborated are: the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts; the French Institute in Skopje (Month of French Philosophy and collaborations through the Philosophical Film Festival); Goethe-Institut Skopje (Month of German Philosophy and retrospectives through the Festival and its High School Video-Lectures segment); the Confucius Institute at Ss. Cyril and Methodius University – Skopje (Month of Eastern Philosophy); the British Embassy (Month of British Philosophy); the Spanish, Italian, Polish, and Swedish embassies in Skopje (mainly through collaborations with the Festival); the Association of Classical Philologists “Antika” (three interdisciplinary and international symposia, many workshops and forums); the EU Info Center in Skopje; the Faculty of Music – Skopje; the Orthodox Theological Faculty “St. Clement of Ohrid” – Skopje; the International Slavic University “St. Nicholas” – Sveti Nikole/Bitola; and the Institute of Philosophy at the Faculty of Philosophy – Skopje, with which the Society has maintained a long-standing and fruitful collaboration.
In 2014, after the proven success of the previous editions of the Philosophical Film Festival (PFF), the Philosophical Society of Macedonia formally adopted the Festival as one of its cultural initiatives. Within the Society, a Commission for Philosophy and Film operates (first coordinator: Ana Dishlieska Mitova; current coordinator: Gjorgji Pulevski), whose team comprises the Festival’s Organizing Board, responsible for its successful realization.