Unban the official Macedonian flag at the Australian Open
Unban the official Macedonian flag at the Australian Open
The issue
Un-ban the Macedonian flag at AO24, in the name of inclusion
Tennis Australia and the Australian Open (AO) prides itself on radical diversity, equity, and inclusion.
It is very vocal and visual about its support for the LGBTQIA+ and the marginalized Australian indigenous communities.
It is very active when it comes to celebrating PRIDE.
But at the same time, it has elected to BAN the official, internationally recognized flag of Macedonia (officially recognized as the Republic of North Macedonia).
They celebrate pride, but deprive us ethnic Macedonians of our own.
In Australia alone, there are over 110,000 ethnic Macedonians, according to the 2021 Census.
Like the indigenous Australians, our peoples have been subjugated for centuries - 500 years under Ottoman Turkish rule, partitions of land, cultural and ethnic cleansing, and geo-politics have threatened the very existence of the Macedonian identity.
Over the past three decades alone the tiny nation of just 2 million inhabitants has been forced to make numerous concessions to appease Greece and the European Union, changing its flag and name (twice) along the way.
It is understandable if Tennis Australia wants to ban the disputed Vergina sun flag at the Australian Open 2024 - something that is likely to create hostilities between Australian Macedonians and Australian Greeks.
But why on Earth has the official flag been banned? A flag that is in no way likely to stir up tensions.
What about OUR pride?
If it has to do with relations with Greece, why is the Greek flag not banned (not something I support either)?
If it has to do with disruptions at the tennis, I can't remember the last time Australian Macedonians were implicated in violence at the tennis, yet I can remember numerous incidents between Croats and Serbs, both of which are free, as they should be, to wave their flags.
Hypocritical to say the least.
And very disappointing.
If the AO is serious about diversity and inclusion, then it should extend this to ALL people's, not just the people it chooses.
We, the undersigned, call for the official flag of the internationally recognized Republic of North Macedonia, to be un-banned at Australian Open 2024, in the name of true inclusion.
The issue
Un-ban the Macedonian flag at AO24, in the name of inclusion
Tennis Australia and the Australian Open (AO) prides itself on radical diversity, equity, and inclusion.
It is very vocal and visual about its support for the LGBTQIA+ and the marginalized Australian indigenous communities.
It is very active when it comes to celebrating PRIDE.
But at the same time, it has elected to BAN the official, internationally recognized flag of Macedonia (officially recognized as the Republic of North Macedonia).
They celebrate pride, but deprive us ethnic Macedonians of our own.
In Australia alone, there are over 110,000 ethnic Macedonians, according to the 2021 Census.
Like the indigenous Australians, our peoples have been subjugated for centuries - 500 years under Ottoman Turkish rule, partitions of land, cultural and ethnic cleansing, and geo-politics have threatened the very existence of the Macedonian identity.
Over the past three decades alone the tiny nation of just 2 million inhabitants has been forced to make numerous concessions to appease Greece and the European Union, changing its flag and name (twice) along the way.
It is understandable if Tennis Australia wants to ban the disputed Vergina sun flag at the Australian Open 2024 - something that is likely to create hostilities between Australian Macedonians and Australian Greeks.
But why on Earth has the official flag been banned? A flag that is in no way likely to stir up tensions.
What about OUR pride?
If it has to do with relations with Greece, why is the Greek flag not banned (not something I support either)?
If it has to do with disruptions at the tennis, I can't remember the last time Australian Macedonians were implicated in violence at the tennis, yet I can remember numerous incidents between Croats and Serbs, both of which are free, as they should be, to wave their flags.
Hypocritical to say the least.
And very disappointing.
If the AO is serious about diversity and inclusion, then it should extend this to ALL people's, not just the people it chooses.
We, the undersigned, call for the official flag of the internationally recognized Republic of North Macedonia, to be un-banned at Australian Open 2024, in the name of true inclusion.
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Petition created on 15 January 2024