Thousands of students and citizens arrived in Novi Sad on Friday to attend a commemoration marking one year since the collapse of a railway station canopy that killed 16 people, as Serbia observed a national day of mourning.
The largest group of students walked from Belgrade, while others came from across the country—some on foot, others by bicycle. The first to arrive were students from Novi Pazar, who reached Novi Sad late Thursday after walking for 16 days and covering nearly 400 kilometres.
Upon arrival, the students and residents marched along Liberation Boulevard to the railway station, where they lit candles and laid flowers in memory of the victims. Sixteen white wreaths, each bearing the name of a victim, were placed at the site, followed by a 16-minute moment of silence.
Students from Novi Sad, hosting their peers from other universities, symbolically handed over the city’s keys and exchanged university flags and medals. Farmers also joined the procession, driving dozens of tractors and heavy machinery adorned with Serbian flags.
In Belgrade, students from the Faculty of Law called on citizens who could not attend the Novi Sad commemoration to gather at 11:52 a.m. at major intersections near the Law or Agricultural faculties to mark the anniversary with brief traffic blockades.
“Let us stop. Let us remember. Let us not forget,” they wrote in an Instagram post.
The Serbian government declared November 1, 2025, a national day of mourning in remembrance of the victims.
“The Government of Serbia has adopted a decision declaring November 1 a Day of Mourning on the anniversary of the deaths and suffering caused by the collapse of the Novi Sad railway station structure,” the government said in a statement.
The mourning period began at midnight on Friday and will end at midnight on Saturday. During that time, media outlets are required to broadcast programs appropriate to the occasion, replacing entertainment shows with content reflecting the solemnity of the day.
Print newspapers must feature black front pages and publish the government’s decision on the day of mourning. Cultural institutions including museums, theatres and cinemas were instructed to adjust their programs accordingly.
The tragedy at the Novi Sad railway station last year sparked nationwide outrage and protests over poor infrastructure maintenance and government accountability.