The archival documentation is the greatest witness of the catastrophe that struck Skopje and the people of Skopje that early morning on 26 July 1963. The documents and photographs allow a glimpse into the sad facts about the earthquake, which in just twenty seconds left behind ruins and took many human lives. To mark the 60th anniversary of this tragic event, the industrious archivists from the State Archives prepared the digital exhibition "The Fall and Rise of Skopje – Through Kiro Georgievski's Camera Lens, Council of the City of Skopje" as an immediate witness of Skopje before and after the earthquake. The affected neighborhoods, the care of the people, the visits of the state delegations and the reconstruction of the city are part of the numerous items included in the exhibition, which will wake the memories of the older generations, while the younger ones will be introduced with the memory of those decisive times for Skopje.
The digital exhibition was promoted today in the Museum of Contemporary Art within the "Skopje at five and seventeen" manifestation of the Ministry of Culture and the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia. The event was adressed by the President of the Republic, Dr. Stevo Pendarovski, the Minister of Culture Bisera Kostadinovska-Stojchevska, the Ambassador of the Republic of Poland, H.E. Krzysztof Grzelczyk, in the presence of the Minister of Internal Affairs, Oliver Spasovski, the director of the State Archives, Dr. Emil Krsteski, representatives of the diplomatic corps and numerous guests from social and political life. The photo documentation of the photographer Kiro Georgievski, professional photographer in the City Council, shall remain an invaluable source about the history of the "city of international solidarity", while the documentary heritage kept in the State Archives in its totality is a pillar of the historic events reconstruction.
