Serbia: “Commemoration is not only about mourning”

The 1st November 2025 marks one year since the collapse of the canopy in Novi Sad. This tragic event claimed the lives of 16 persons and sparked the biggest protest movement in Serbia since the fall of the Milošević regime. For twelve months students and citizens have taken to the streets to ask for justice, protest corruption and demand structural and institutional reforms in Serbia.

Meanwhile, in an increasingly authoritarian climate under President Vučić, pressure on civil society organizations and independent media continues to intensify. Their commitment to fostering dialogue, accountability, and human rights has therefore become more vital than ever. What began as an outcry for answers has since evolved into a broader call for justice, transparency, and accountability. One year later by marking the first anniversary, this tragedy has entered both individual and collective memory as a commemorative landmark for justice and accountability, becoming part of Serbia’s societal and historic narrative regardless of how future developments unfold or how the political landscape may change.

 A society that learns to confront its past with honesty lays the groundwork for justice and trust.

2025 is marking many significant anniversaries in the Western Balkans from the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica Genocide, the Dayton Accord, Operation Storm or the end of World War II. Pro Peace’s approach in the Western Balkans puts strong emphasis on a constructive and multi-perspective reflection on historic responsibilities and thereby to understand the social, institutional, and ethical dimensions of events. The first anniversary of the tragedy in Novi Sad is a moment of remembrance, but also a test of responsibility and accountability. Pro Peace stands in compassion with the victims and survivors of the collapse, and with the families who continue to wait for the truth. Their persistence reminds us that genuine commemoration is inseparable from accountability. 

“We must ask ourselves what significance an anniversary holds in our collective and individual memory, how it shapes our societies, and in what ways the commemoration of victims and survivors influences our future. A society that learns to confront its past with honesty lays the groundwork for justice and trust,” Nataša Govedarica, Country Director Pro Peace Serbia, emphasizes.

Pro Peace’s approach in the Western Balkans puts strong emphasis on a constructive and multi-perspective reflection on historic responsibilities. Pro Peace in the Western Balkans and worldwide encourages communities to remember not only the events themselves but also the lessons they hold for the present by working with local partners, civil society, researchers, artists, journalists, and educators.

As Alexander Mauz, Chairman of the Executive Board of Pro Peace, stated: “Commemoration is not only about mourning, but it is about responsibility.  Commemoration, when approached with transparency and respect, becomes a shared act of learning and transformation, helping societies move beyond silence and polarization toward understanding and solidarity.”