Unity to remain at all times: OSCE Mission commemorates 50th anniversary of the Skopje earthquake | WPN World People News

Only twenty seconds altered the future of the city: On this day 26 July 1963 , Skopje was hit by a massive earthquake, killing more than a thousand people and destroying or damaging eighty percent of all buildings. As the OSCE Mission to Skopje commemorates the 50th anniversary of the disaster, the Acting Head of Mission, Ambassador Marianne Berecz, stressed that the solidarity demonstrated at that difficult time should serve as an inspiration for the future.

The Old Railway Station in Skopje. The clock on the side of the building stopped at 5:17am on 26 July 1963, marking the moment the city was turned into rubble by the 1963 earthquake. The building now houses the Museum of the City of Skopje.

“It is hard to imagine what Skopje looked like after that devastation. However, despite tragic losses in many families and abhorrent living conditions, citizens quickly started to rebuild their lives,” she said. “The city has made an amazing comeback, turning into a lively and dynamic capital.”

A quick international relief effort offered by 87 countries in the form of money, supplies and human resources helped bring Skopje back from the ruins. The city also became known as the “City of International Solidarity”. “It is a reminder how human compassion and collective effort can make a huge difference,” Ambassador Berecz pointed out.

“We also commemorate the outstanding unity of all citizens on that fateful day. Survivors still remember that after a short initial panic everyone helped friends, neighbors and strangers in need without hesitation. This unity, this shared sense of purpose that brought people together, must remain with us at all times.”

Source: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe