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.