A stream of students from all faculties of the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University (UKIM) in Skopje gathered yesterday on the university campus plaza to pay tribute to those who lost their lives and those injured in the accident at the Pulse nightclub in Kocani. Dressed mostly in black, students lit candles, laid flowers, and left donations, which will be sent to the families of the victims through the Red Cross. Flowers were also laid by Minister of Education and Science Vesna Janevska and Rector of UKIM Biljana Angelova. In their speeches, they called on students to stand together in solidarity during these difficult days for North Macedonia.
“At this moment, there is nothing left for us to do but to show our unity in this immense sorrow. Unity in the grief of the families of the deceased, unity in supporting the injured and their families, in their fight for life and recovery,” said Biljana Angelova, Rector of UKIM.
“Endless thanks for your presence. Because your presence means awareness, it means solidarity, it means humanity. It means sharing not only joy but also sorrow and pain. And that is the most important thing that young people and all of us together can show in these difficult times,” said Vesna Janevska, Minister of Education and Science.
However, their speeches did not go without difficulties.
The event was interrupted three times. First due to rain. Then, during the speech of the UKIM rector, and for the third time during the minister’s speech, some students felt unwell. Their colleagues from the Faculty of Medicine responded, as did the minister herself, who is a doctor by profession.
The University Student Assembly has announced activities for Friday, which will be specified by then.
“We are organizing a joint class for all UKIM students, in the form of gatherings at each campus. It is planned for Friday. Either we will hold a march from the Biotechnical to the Technical campus through the entire city, or we will collectively head toward Kocani,” said Aleksandar Nikolovski, President of the University Student Assembly of UKIM.
At the Faculty of Law, a book of condolences has been opened for students to sign.
To recall, on the night from Saturday to Sunday, during a concert at the Pulse nightclub in Kocani, North Macedonia, a horrific fire broke out, killing 59 people and injuring more than 150, Telma.mk writes.
photo: Telma.mk
