Macedonia and the Balkans are remembering the late pop star Toshe Proeski, who died nineteen years ago on this day in a car accident near Nova Gradishka in Croatia en route to Zagreb.
One of the traditions honoring Toshe’s memory is a marathon run by participants from Nova Gradishka to Krushevo. This year, 14 participants are taking part in the 19th marathon in Toshe’s honor. The journey began with 13 runners, with another set to join them once they reach Macedonia. They will cover approximately 200 kilometers on foot through Croatia, travel through Serbia by vehicle, in compliance with local regulations, and then, from the Macedonian border to Krushevo, the Macedonian runners will complete another 220 kilometers on foot. The marathon began in Nova Gradishka, at the site of his memorial, and the runners are scheduled to arrive in Krushevo Friday, on the anniversary of his passing.
The final destination for the runners is Toshe Proeski’s eternal resting place, the memorial site at Gumenje in Krushevo.
Proeski’s life came to an end just as he was marking ten years of a successful career – a career that had begun to expand internationally. However, the English-language album he had been preparing, “The Hardest Thing”, was released posthumously.
Todor Proeski, known as Toshe, was born on January 25, 1981. He demonstrated his musical talent as early as the fifth grade at the Golden Nightingale festival in 1992, where he performed a song in the Vlach language.
He launched his musical career by winning the Melfest festival in Prilep in 1997. From then on, he performed at all major festivals in the country and the region, and in 2004, he represented the Republic of Macedonia at the Eurovision Song Contest in Istanbul. That same year, he also became a UNICEF ambassador.
Proeski released seven albums, some of which were also adapted into Serbian/Croatian. His final album Games Without Borders, was released two weeks before the accident. His last concert, a humanitarian event aimed at improving educational conditions in Macedonia, took place at the City Stadium on October 5, 2007.