President Milanović Attends Solemn Ceremony Welcoming Freshmen into Honourable Miners’ Social Class
The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović participated in the 35th mining ceremony, “Skok preko kože” (Jump over the Apron), held to mark Saint Barbara’s Day, the patron saint of miners, oil workers, and geologists. Through this ceremony, freshmen are symbolically welcomed into the honourable social class of miners.
“Skok preko kože” (Jump over the Apron) is a traditional mining ceremony celebrating its 85th anniversary this year. The event is held on the occasion of Saint Barbara’s Day, the patron saint of miners, oil workers, and geologists, whose feast day is celebrated on the 4th of December. During the ceremony, freshmen from the Faculty of Mining, Geology and Petroleum Engineering are formally welcomed into the honourable miners’ guild – an old European tradition that honours values such as hard work, honesty, and solidarity.
The event has been held since 1939, and this year’s “Skok preko kože” took place under the patronage of the President of the Republic and was organized by the “Sretno!” Association. The association brings together current and former students of the Faculty of Mining, Geology and Petroleum Engineering to preserve and promote mining traditions.
At the mining ceremony, the freshmen and participants were greeted by Zoran Milanović, President of the Republic; Filip Božić, President of the “Sretno!” Association; Miroslav Skalicki, member of the INA Board of Directors; Hrvoje Jakupak, Director of Aggregates and Industrial Minerals at Holcim Hrvatska Ltd.; Prof. Dubravko Majetić, Vice-Rector for Science, Research and Postgraduate Studies at the University of Zagreb and the Rector’s delegate; and Assoc. Prof. Vladislav Brkić, Dean of the Faculty of Mining, Geology and Petroleum Engineering.
President Milanović was accompanied by the Head of the Cabinet of the President of the Republic, Bartol Šimunić, and the Special Adviser to the President of the Republic for Energy and Climate, Julije Domac.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Filip Glas