@ Mac:

How the "ancient Greeks" (all of them?) regarded the Macedonians, Spartans, Athenians and others is amply and diversely recorded. They spent most of their existence hating and fighting each other.

What is also broadly recorded is that the Greek-speaking Macedonians made arguably the greatest contribution to Greek culture and language when they established both throughout the Mediterranean world after the conquests of Alexander. In scholarly history throughout the world this is known as the Hellenistic Age which preserved and extended the art, language and culture of the Greek-speaking "classical"period. That is the Macedonian and Alexander's contribution to western civilization and that is why both are part of the formal study of the ancient world.

Hi Alfred,

Appreciate your reply.

I do feel feel sorry for you however, that you will go through your whole life reading and believing this non sense...
When I'm telling you my own parents' actual life experience was that they were forced from their home and country (as kids btw) for being macedonian... But according to you they were freedom fighters... Jeeez

Can we agree to disagree? I do not want to argue.
I just want my country of origin of Macedonia recognised by Australia officially.
It's incredibly offensive an discriminatory being called a skopjan or fyromanian...

I just wish we could all get along and live in peace.

Alfred di Genis,

Yes, I understand how Alexander's conquests spread Greek culture, and from a Western perspective it was a positive development. However, the Persians, Egyptians, Babylonians and the populations of what is now Afghanistan, Western India and Pakistan probably would have had a quite different opinion of Alexander and his invading armies at the time, and probably didn't really care about the benefits of Hellenisation.

My point was simply, as long as high explosives aren't used, who cares about yet another Balkan squabble?

All this over the words 'Former Yugoslav'?

Nobody in Australia is denying Macedonia the right to go by its own name. I don't think I have ever referred to myself as coming from the Commonwealth of Australia, or having been born in the Republic of Zimbabwe. I'm struggling to understand how a little-used 'official' name really impacts on somebody's life.

Out of interest, have similar pushes been made to the IOC? They seem to keep the FYR in the name.

http://www.olympic.org/the-former-yugoslav-republic-of-macedonia

So does FIFA:

http://www.fifa.com/associations/association=mkd/index.html

So does the UN:

http://www.un.org/en/members/index.shtml

This isn't to say that it is right - but the FYR prefix seems to have considerable legitimacy in international organisations, so it doesn't seem to me like something Australia 'must' change.

Come on mate, its ancient history, & not worth getting your knickers in a knot over.

What are you? If you're supposed to be an Ozzie, do get over historical mistakes.

Tell you what. Stop worrying about it & I promise I won't call Republic of Macedonia, LATE FOR LUNCH.