Vecer Press released the latest article, describing possible future scenarios in Macedonia. This time we wrote about a solution that will create clean air and no waste in our cities. Sounds great? Read more here….
What If…? Clean Air – No Waste
GENERALKA WEEKEND 2025
From the 9.-11. May the most massive ecological action on the whole Balkans happens: GENERALKA WEEKEND.
Hand in hand with all municipalities, 600 organisations and institutions, more than 20.000 volunteers and 20.000 pupils from all schools in Macedonia, we prove that change can happen from within our society! Together we clean on more than 500 locations throughout the whole country the waste of the past to create a green future for us and generations to come!
Macedonia is in the heart of the Balkans and its heart is beating strong!
Together we change the path of our country! Together we create our future in a healthy environment for healthy people and a healthy economy!
GENERALKA WEEKEND proves our ability to overcome differences and to define our society by what is uniting us: Our nature – Our cultures – Our will to let this country – our country – shine bright and beautiful!
It is on us to do that – and we do exactly that 🙂
We are very especially grateful that our President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Environment Mr. Izet Mehxiti, the Minister of Education Mrs. Vesna Janevska, the Austrian Ambassador Mr. Martin Pammer and many more representatives from national as well as international organisations and institutions joined GENERALKA WEEKEND this year to clean one of the most important historical landmarks in our country – the Aqueduct in Skopje – together with the strong support of #zels, #redcross, #volunteercenterskopje and our #police.
Only with the strong support of our main strategic partner Pivara Skopje and our official partners Pakomak, Nula Otpad, Sparkasse Banka, EVN, Makstil, Buchim Borov Dol, Saubermacher and Kostal we were able to supply the whole country with trash bags, gloves, drinks and educational material!
Together with UNICEF and the Ministry of Education we implemented GENERALKA WEEKEND as a subject in schools named “EKO CLASS”. With more than 1.000 teachers and 20.000 pupils this was truly the most important lesson in these times.
GENERALKA WEEKEND 2025 is Here
MORE THAN 20,000 VOLUNTEERS WILL CLEAN UP MACEDONIA AT THE LARGEST ENVIRONMENTAL EVENT IN THE BALKANS – GENERALKA WEEKEND
On May 9, 10 and 11, the largest annual national waste collection action will take place for the fifth time – GENERALKA WEEKEND (a volunteer action by citizens for citizens),
created by Man & Mountain, together with the main strategic partner Pivara Skopje and the official partners: Pakomak , Zero Waste, Sparkasse Bank, EVN Macedonia, Makstil, Bucim Borov Dol, Saubermacher and Kostal .
The action is also supported by ZELS, the Red Cross and the Ministry of Environment, as well as many well-known public figures. Over 20,000 volunteers will clean our homeland at more than 500 locations in all municipalities across the country, including over 600 organizations, institutions and companies, ecological, civic, sports associations, pensioner organizations, public institutions, local and urban communities, kindergartens, schools, faculties and volunteers, and national parks.
The official opening of this year’s three-day national waste cleanup campaign – GENERALKA WEEKEND will take place on May 9 at the Skopje Aqueduct, starting at 9 a.m. More than 200 volunteers will clean up the area around this extremely important historical monument.
The following are also expected to be present at the Skopje Aqueduct: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Environment Izet Medziti, Minister of Education and Science Vesna Janevska, President of ZELS and Mayor of the Municipality of Kisela Voda, Orce Gjorgievski, Director of the Corporate Policies and Sustainability Sector of Pivara Skopje, Snezana Savic Dimovska, Austrian Ambassador Mr. Martin Pamer , Mayor of the Municipality of Cair, Visar Ganiu, Secretary of the Red Cross, Suzana Tuneva Paunovska, as well as members of the embassies present in our country, volunteers and several public figures.
With the support of the Ministry of Education and Science and UNICEF, for the first time, GENERALKA WEEKEND will be included in the educational project “Eco Class“.
Students from all schools across the country will be given homework on May 9th to clean their schools together with their teachers and professors, on May 10th students and their families will clean their homes and the area around their homes, and on May 11th students and their families will clean the parks and picnic areas in their surroundings. Their task is to photo-document the cleanup and present the results at the first school class.
Based on the 10-year memorandum, which the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management and National Forests concluded with Man & Mountain, every year after the completion of the eco-action GENERALKA WEEKEND, the second part of the action called SONCHEVA GORA takes place in November, which involves afforestation of state land.
For every 10 kilograms of collected waste, one tree is dedicated from the annual reforestation plans. Within the framework of these reforestations , 120,000 seedlings were planted in various locations in recent years: around Lake Mladost in Veles, the village of Qojlija in the municipality of Petrovec, near the megalithic observatory Kokino and in the municipality of Staro Nagoricane.
In the past four years, 1 million kilograms of waste have been collected during GENERAL WEEKEND, over 44,000 volunteers have participated so far, more than 1,000 locations have been cleaned, and 120,000 trees have been planted.
This unique mass environmental event, not only in the country, but also in the entire Western Balkans, sends a powerful and alarming message that pollution has become the biggest enemy for citizens. The entire country is united behind the idea of GENERALKA WEEKEND to emphasize the importance of positive changes and a cleaner environment.
Interview With Gordana and Hannes on Vecer Press
Today Vecer.press released a long interview with Gordana and Hannes from MAM in Vecer Press – one of the oldest and most respected newspapers in Macedonia. They talk about the biggest ecological and social action on the Balkans GENERALKA WEEKEND and other topics about Macedonia and a possible bright future of our country.
“What If…?” – From rusty factories to green islands of culture
And yet another article about how things could be, if we would only do them 😉
This time we explore the potential of repurposing already existing buildings. With only a little phantasy and creativity, we are able to not only preserve impressive achievements of architecture in our country, but also to bring back life and purpose to them.
Instead of copy / pasting the same projects all over our cities, manufactured with cheap materials, financed by money of unknown source, without any value or meaning to the people who live in them nor the people who live in their surroundings.
KOSTAL Confirmed as Official Partner of GENERALKA WEEKEND
We are very happy and proud to welcome KOSTAL for the second year in a row as an official partner of GENERALKA WEEKEND – the biggest environmental event of the Western Balkans, organised and realised by 80 municipalities, more than 600 organisations and institutions, and supported by the most important companies in our country!
“What If…?” – A Friendly Country
A wonderful column by Johannes Heidecker about the rural potential of North Macedonia combined with the digitalisation!
“But do we have to sit in a small apartment block on a high-rise building, or can we do the same in the countryside?
What if we could combine some of these elements? Like the people in the mountains who renovated their village houses, painted the walls, cooked a hearty breakfast, and invited tourists from other countries. Or by looking for remote work opportunities and visiting the big city once a week or so? Would it be an opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the country, the benefits of a clean environment far from the brutalist walls of neighboring city blocks?”
MAM Signs Memorandum with Ministry of Education Macedonia
The Ministry of Education and MAM established a three year collaboration within the field of environmental education in our schools. GENERALKA WEEKEND as the main event should also become an educational framework within the curriculum of pupils to deepen topics like circular economy, renewable energy, waste selection and environmental protection. We are nothing less than happy and proud about this collaboration and the attention and efforts our Macedonian institutions are giving to the topic of environmental development and the green renewal of our country! Thank you very much!
SONCHEVA EP 7 – Lotus for Hedonists
Created for hedonists, people who want to enjoy comfort and aesthetic design, the Lotus Lounge Chair celebrates 15 years of existence, recognizable by numerous bimbags designs. Their creator is Anita Gajtanovska, who decided to return from the capital to her native Prilep and continue building the brand, which today is popular not only on the domestic but also on the international market. This episode is dedicated to Lotus Lounge Chair and Anita Gajtanovska, the woman who built a unique brand from a salary with dedication, creativity and a lot of work.
“What If…?” – Green Facades
Today Vecer is releasing our fifth article from the series “Sto Ako…?” and this time its all about green building facades and how they will change the air quality in urban areas as well as giving isolation to our houses. We hope you will find it interesting 🙂