Serbian student runners reach Augsburg, next stop Ulm

A few dozen Augsburg residents welcomed them at Moritzplatz square, greeting them with loud applause and cheers.

A red carpet was rolled out for the runners, flanked by red heart-shaped signs bearing the names of those who died in the November 1, 2024 collapse of a concrete canopy at the Novi Sad main train station. White roses and candles were also placed at the site.

The names of all 16 victims were read aloud, followed by an 18-minute moment of silence in memory of them and the victims of the May 2023 mass shootings in Serbia.

The assembled crowd presented the students with a flag reading Augsburg Stands with the Students. The flag features two marathoners running alongside Augustus Octavian, the Roman emperor during whose reign Augsburg was founded, surrounded by petals symbolizing the 16 victims of the canopy collapse. The runners also received badges bearing the same design.

Their next stop is the German city of Ulm. The students’ total route to Brussels is almost 2,000 kilometers.