Today we are very proud to present to you the 4th episode of our journey through the Land of The Sun. This time we visit the sweetest place in the world famous Lokum Mountains.
More than 100 years of tradition, Tagas Balkan Lokum from Krushevo is one of the reasons why Krushevo is a favorite destination of domestic and foreign tourists. This episode is dedicated to Niko Chonevski, owner of the Tagas Balkan brand, creators of the most delicious Turkish delight and the famous Celufki. This knowledge and skill for producing these delicacies has been passed down in their family for the fourth generation.
We are very proud to announce our collaboration with the “ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITS OF LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF NORTH MACEDONIA – ZELS” based on a memorandum that we signed with its president Orce Gjorgjievski. Together we will realise projects and create new frameworks to implement GENERALKA WEEKEND and principles of circular waste economy in our municipalities. We are honoured and empowered to make the next step into a better future together shoulder on shoulder with the authorities of our country – thank you for your trust and lets recycle the waste of the past into a green future for us and coming generations in our country – only together we can!
We are very proud to announce our collaboration with the “association of kommunal waste inspectors” based on a memorandum that we signed with its president Borce Vezenkov.
Together we will realise projects and create new frameworks to implement GENERALKA WEEKEND and principles of circular waste economy in our municipalities.
We are honoured and empowered to make the next step into a better future together hand in hand with the authorities of our country – thank you for your trust and lets recycle the waste of the past into a green future for us and coming generations in our country – only together we can!
The communal company “Cistota i želenilo” and the Municipality of Kumanovo in cooperation with Man and Mountain and with the support of the non-governmental organization “SON” from Ghent, Belgium, cleaned the river beds in the center of Kumanovo on 17 October 2024.
In this part of the river, there is also a recreation park, which is constantly visited by citizens and polluted with waste.
The municipality of Kumanovo, with the support of the province of East Flanders in Belgium and the non-governmental organization “SON” installed 16 new GENERALKA waste bins in this part of the city.
In the action and the cleaning of the river bed, the employees of the JKP “Cistota i Zelenilo” and volunteers from the association Kumanovski Akcijasi took part, with great support from the administration of the Municipality of Kumanovo and the mayor Maksim Dimitrievski.
On each of the waste bins are written unique messages in Macedonian and Albanian: “Create and do not destroy”, “Throw your trash here – not your future”, “Your city – your home”, “Be a solution, not a pollution”, “Use me but don’t abuse me”, “Pollution means your poisoning”, “Stop talking – start acting”…..
The idea is to raise the awareness of the citizens and make these messages make everyone who passes by and reads them to think about their responsibility towards the environment and the community.
“Although symbolic, this is a very significant project for us. JP “Cistota i Zelenilo” and the Municipality of Kumanovo, with the support of the province of East Flanders from Belgium and in cooperation with the non-governmental organization “SON” from Ghent, Belgium, on 17 October 2024 cleaned the riverbed of the city quay and placed 16 new GENERALKA baskets for waste. Each waste bin is written with dedicated and specific messages to citizens about how they should behave to protect the environment and keep their city clean. This is a motivating example of how to mark other places in the city with such interesting messages to all citizens. The city of Kumanovo is grateful”, says Maksim Dimitrievski, mayor of the municipality of Kumanovo.
The director of the Public Utility Company “Cleanliness and Greenery”, Nenad Stojanovski, appeals to citizens to adhere to hygiene and called on other organizations to initiate such environmental actions as often as possible:
“The messages on the baskets are intended to indicate to the citizens to dispose of waste in an appropriate place. JP Chistota i želenilo” supports all such actions and encourages other organizations to initiate and organize environmental actions, and we, with our potential and machinery, are always at their disposal. We appeal to citizens to adhere to hygiene.”
SON is a new Belgian NGO with a focus on culture and society.
“With the support of the province of East Flanders (Belgium) and in cooperation with Man and Mountain / GENERALKA we are happy to be able to support the city of Kumanovo to create a more ecological environment for the whole society”, say Jan Hooze, president of SON and Katinka Dimkaroska, member of the SON board of directors.
Within this years GENERALKA ART CONTEST more than 150 paintings, drawings and sketches were sent and judged by a jury from within the partners of GENERALKA WEEKEND.
These three visions could not be more different and should inspire us grown ups of how our young generation sees our future!
We are so proud of the imaginary powers of our youth and it was incredibly hard to choose the three winners of this years GENERALKA ART. But finally we can present them to the public! We want to congratulate the three artists and their teachers and schools for these most remarkable pieces of art:
Congratulations to Edila Ravmani from the Secondary Technical School from Gostivar!
Congratulations to Karolina Kuzmanovska from the primary school “Kocho Racin” from Brvenica.
Congratulations to Svetlana Jovanovska from the elementary school “7 Marsi” from the village of Chelopek, Brvenica.
You are the future of our country and we are incredibly proud of you! We also want to thank your teachers Lina Trenkovska, Ilina Minoska and Hristina Markoska as well as each and everyone who sent us your pictures – You are all unique and great!
Your friends from Pivara Skopje, Pakomak, Nula Otpad, Sparkasse Bank, Makstil, Bimilk, EVN, Kostal, Buchim Borov Dol, Red Cross and Man and Mountain!!!
Together with the main strategic partners Pivara Skopje and Pakomak, Man and Mountain organized for the fourth time in a row GENERAL WEEKEND this year – the biggest environmental action in Macedonia as well as in the whole western Balkans, during which a record breaking number of more than 300 tons of waste were collected.
“Thanks to the great collaboration between our partners, the supporters in all municipalities and our institutions, hundreds of schools, Kindergartens, but also NGOs, Sportsclubs, Pensionists, National Parks, special forces, and many many more contributed in GENERALKA WEEKEND in an unparalleled act of national wide solidarity and friendship beyond all ethnic and political borders!
18.099 volunteers collected 301,504 kg waste during GENERALKA WEEKEND on more than 400 locations between the 15.-19. May 2024!” say Gordana Sofija and Hannes Jaeckl from Man and Mountain.
Based on the memorandum between the Ministry of Agriculture, National Forestry and Man and Mountain , the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia will dedicate 1 tree for every 10 kilograms of waste collected during the GENERALKA WEEKEND within the framework of their annual plans for afforestation all until 2031 . To date, more than 100,000 trees have been planted thanks to the efforts of the people of Macedonia.
The realization of GENERALKA WEEKEND is also due to the support of the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning, the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which have been contributing to this action since 2021.
The most famous jazz club in our country was created 35 years ago. Even today, it is the most attractive place in Ohrid for all those who want to hear jazz sounds. And, it is so because of the loyalty of the owners to this kind of music and not deviating from those sounds despite many pressures from passers-by that they should orient themselves towards commercial music if they want to have more audience. This was unacceptable for the owner Valentino Hristovski. He stayed with jazz and that’s why Jazz Inn has a cult status in the Balkans as the only club where only jazz music “reigns”. This episode is dedicated to Valentino and the Jazz Inn.
Everything went well! Participants in all 81 Municipalities were up and cleaning. We received thousands of fotos and films from all over the country. Please check our Facebook Group for more!
The media echo was breathtaking – from influencers to radio stations, printed and online press, TV special reports and news – this weekend you could not escape GENERALKA WEEKEND.
Within the next days we will present the results so stay tuned!
Since 20 years these locations were used as illegal landfills by locals as well as visitors. This is the first time that this very dangerous terrain is professionally cleaned. After the cleaning action, Saubermacher will provide containers for waste, so that this beautiful place in the heart of the Sara Mountains will remain clean.
