From September 5 to 7, 2025, the international conference "Balkan Monastic Worlds: Dialogues on Monasticism, Theology, and Culture" took place in Strumica, a city in southeastern North Macedonia. The event was held in the ancient monasteries of Vodoca and Novo Selo, which have served as spiritual centers in the region for centuries, as reported by the news portal litirgija.mk. The conference was organized by the Macedonian Institute of Spiritual and Monastic Heritage of the Balkans "Heritage of the Desert" and the Institute of Liturgy and Church Art of the Belgrade Theological Faculty.

Participants included hierarchs from the Macedonian Orthodox Church – Ohrid Archbishopric and the Serbian Orthodox Church, theologians, professors, and monastics. Guests also included representatives from the social and political life of North Macedonia, highlighting the interest in the spiritual heritage of the Balkans not only within the church but also in the cultural sphere.

Each day began with a Divine Liturgy, followed by sessions dedicated to the issues of monastic tradition and its significance today. Topics of presentations included the prayer of the heart, the teachings of Saint Clement of Ohrid, the legacy of Gregory Palamas, and the Byzantine hesychasts of the 14th century. Lesser-known aspects of history were also discussed, such as traces of hesychasm in ancient manuscripts, women's monasticism in the Balkans, and the spiritual heritage of Elder Emilianos from the Athonite Monastery of Simonopetra.

The conference concluded with a roundtable discussion on the theme "The Voice of the Desert in Contemporary Theology." Participants emphasized that the experiences of Balkan ascetics are not merely a part of the past; their prayer traditions and ascetic theology can provide answers to the challenges of the modern world.