Australian Macedonian Women’s Association-Жена established in 2022 in Melbourne
AMWA – Жена is a non for profit, non-political organisation with broad educational, cultural and health objectives.
We aim to recognise and promote the contributions of Australian Macedonian women to Australian society.
AMWA – ЖЕНА aims to
Empower Macedonian women and girls.
Encourage the participation of Macedonian women in all aspects of community life.
Unite Macedonian women in Australia regardless of their social/ religious/economic or sexual Жена+ (for LGBTIQI+)
Promote cooperation and exchange of views, ideas and best practices between Macedonian and Australian women’s organizations
Promote the Macedonian rich and diverse culture and Macedonian language in Australia.
Open to anyone who is interested in the above aims.
Our key priorities are:
Providing a forum for Macedonian women in Australia to celebrate their stories and achievements.
Facilitating opportunities for Macedonian women to connect and engage in cultural and social activities and events.
Developing mentoring program.
Providing information and referral to support services and providing initial contact.
Promoting health and well-being.
Our women
Mirjana Lozanovska
Mirjana Lozanovska is Professor in Architecture at Deakin University. Her work investigates the creative ways that architecture mediates human dignity and identity through multidisciplinary theories of space, and it examines migration/mobility and the reinvention of the city. Her books include Migrant Housing: Architecture, Dwelling, Migration (2019) and Ethno-Architecture and the Politics of Migration (2016). She has published widely on Kenzo Tange’s masterplan for Skopje, including “Cold War Collaboration: Urbanism in the UN-Yugoslavian project for the reconstruction of Skopje after the 1963 earthquake,” Planning Perspectives, (2017, with I. Martek). A chapter on the role of Mimoza Nestorova-Tomić in this reconstruction project, in Ideological Equality (eds. Pepchinski and Simon) extends interpretation about the role of women. Mirjana was co-editor of the major architectural history journal Fabrications: JSAHANZ (2018-2022). Mirjana leads the #Vacant Geelong project with a collaborative architecture-art team (Cameron Bishop, David Beynon, Anne Scott Wilson, Akari Nakai-Kidd; with Diego Fullaondo 2015-2018, Ciro Marquez 2017-2018). VacantGeelong connects architecture with art and industry to go beyond the usual pragmatic utilisation of ex-industrial sites through engagement of the cultural and social memories of the vibrant communities these vacant sites embody. Its creative and research works (since 2015) have been awarded funding from Arts Victoria, CoGG and National Wool Museum.
Liljana Tasevska
“I was born in Bitola in 1956, my mother was from Bogdanci, Gevgelija near Lake Dojran. We migrated to Australia in 1966, on the Achille Lauro a ship that left from Genoa, Italy. I was 9. We were the only branch of the family to migrate for a long time. I majored in English and French and have been a secondary school teacher. I have also taught Macedonian over the years to all age levels.
I live in Brunswick West, ( we have always lived in Coburg, Pascoe Vale Carlton). I have a 26 year old son, Aleksandar, who is studying philosophy. I love languages, have studied Japanese and Arabic and visited countries where those languages are spoken.
I am now retired and mainly do relieving teaching, gardening, travelling, and a recent passion is the bay and ‘swimming’ in it. ( I’m still learning to swim). I am also currently toying with the idea of organising a trip around Macedonia, for non-Macedonians. My most recent travel included Jordan, Istanbul, Macedonia, Bosnia, Belgrade and Rome.
I love music festivals and am going to the National Folk Festival in Canberra soon. I have a cat. “
Vasilka Pateras
Vasilka lives in Naarm (Melbourne) and is a mother to two daughters. By day she works as a Commonwealth Public Servant–For the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations. At night, she writes in between the demands of family life. Her work is published in n-SCRIBE, The Blue Nib, Mediterranean Poetry, Poetry on the Move, Eureka Street and Backstory Journal, Teesta Journal and Mascara Literary Review and Hecate, Kalliope X. Vasilka regularly reads as part of the Melbourne Spoken Word community and was the feature poet at Girls on Key in May 2021 and Radio Laria 2022.
Vasilka has been a long-time member of the Macedonian Women’s Choir and has extensive knowledge of the Macedonian folkloric canon. Vasilka regularly visits Macedonia including Skopje, Bitola, Lerin, Solun and maintains a close connection with the land and people of the Republic of Macedonia and Aegean Macedonia.
Australian Macedonian Women's Association ЖЕНА 