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Today, the largest three-day (May 9th, 10th, and 11th) annual national waste collection action – GENERALKA WEEKEND (a volunteer campaign by citizens for citizens) kicked off at the Skopje Aqueduct.
Pivara Skopje this year as well, together with Pakomak, is the leading strategic partner of the largest national environmental action Generalka Weekend, organized by Men and Mountain. GENERALKA WEEKEND is being implemented in all municipalities across the country, with thousands of volunteers at more than 500 locations.
The President of the Republic of North Macedonia, Gordana Siljanovska Davkova, also supported the eco-action with a video message, urging citizens to get involved.
“We constantly talk about green policies, yet we live in a gray-black reality of deadly air, polluted lakes and rivers, devastated forests, and contaminated soil. We do not want to face the harsh ecological crisis. Nature cannot be a victim of profit-driven aggression. If we want a healthy future, we must all unite on May 9th , 10th and 11th for the largest ecological action, GENERALKA WEEKEND, as proof of national responsibility and environmental awareness,” says Siljanovska Davkova.
As a strategic partner of Generalka Weekend, Pivara Skopje has shown over the past three years that companies have the power to inspire change:“For us, an action such as this is more than just support and numbers – it reflects our corporate vision, responsibility and a call to others to join us in driving positive change. Through personal example and collective action, we are changing awareness, inspiring others and building a better future, and I am pleased that we have succeeded in this. This is one of our ways of demonstrating what true social responsibility means. Pivara Skopje always chooses to lead by example,” says Snežana Savić Dimovska, Director of Corporate Policies and Sustainability at Pivara Skopje.
At the opening of the eco-action Generalka Weekend at the Skopje Aqueduct, where over 200 volunteers collected waste, the following were in attendance: The President of the Republic of North Macedonia, Gordana Siljanovska Davkova, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Environment, Izet Mexhiti, the Minister of Education and Science, Vesna Janevska, the President of the Association of Local Self-Governments (ZELS) and Mayor of Kisela Voda, Orce Gjorgievski, the Director of the Corporate Policies and Sustainability Sector at Pivara Skopje, Snežana Savić Dimovska, the Austrian Ambassador, Martin Pamer, the Secretary of the Red Cross, Suzana Tuneva Paunovska, the Mayor of the Municipality of Čair, Visar Ganiu, representatives from the Cultural Heritage Protection Directorate, representatives from institutions and embassy in our country, volunteers and many public figures.
Every year after the completion of the eco-action Generalka Weekend, the second part of the action called SONČEVA GORA takes place in November, which involves afforestation of state-owned land. For every 10 kilograms of collected waste, one tree is dedicated from the annual afforestation plans. As part of these afforestation efforts, 125,000 saplings have been planted in recent years at various locations: around Lake Mladost in Veles, the village of Ćojlija in the municipality of Petrovec, near the Megalithic Observatory Kokino and in the municipality of Staro Nagoričane.
On this occasion, the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Environment and Spatial Planning, Mr. Izet Mexhiti, said that through such actions, we collectively demonstrate initiative, will and readiness for cooperation:“Waste has no place on the streets or in nature. The Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning supports all actions that show strong initiative, inclusiveness and a desire to be part of the changes that will ensure a better future for us and for future generations. On our path to Europe, we must act European.”
In the past four years, 1 million kilograms of waste have been collected during Generalka Weekend, with more than 44,000 volunteers participating, over 1,000 locations cleaned and 125,000 trees planted.