Kumanovo at 82 Years of Freedom: November Awards for a Doctor, a Journalist, an Artist and the "Panče Pešev" Folk Ensemble, Now 100 Years Old

Kumanovo marked 11 November, Liberation Day - 82 years since its liberation from fascist occupation and 507 years since the city was first mentioned in writing, in 1519. With flowers at the Memorial Ossuary, with delegations from the municipality, the Army, Parliament and the Interior Ministry, and with the traditional November Awards at a ceremonial session of the municipal council.

This year's winners are four individuals and three organisations. The award went to paediatrician and neonatologist Shenasi Jusufi, founder of the private health clinic "Alfa Medikus", sports journalist Boško Tasić, visual artist and teacher Marina Cvetanovska-Martinovska, and Stojanka Stojković, a retired entrepreneur, for building the company "Ekstra Mein".

Among the organisations is the "Panče Pešev" folk ensemble, which turns 100 years old this year, the construction firm "Urbaning", which donated the design documentation for the new building of the "Sami Frashëri" secondary school, and the kickboxing club "Predator", whose fighters bring home medals from national, European and world championships. Mayor Maksim Dimitrievski also handed out letters of thanks, among others to the "Vuk Karadžić" primary school for 80 years of work and to Dejan Ilievski, commander of the Kumanovo Territorial Fire Unit.

The Interior Ministry delegation was led by State Secretary Sašo Petruševski. The ceremonial speeches have been made, the flowers laid. Still, the list of winners says more than the protocol: a doctor, a journalist, an artist, a folk ensemble a full century old and a company that donated a school design. It's good when a city looks to its people on its big day, not just to its monuments.