The European Capital of Culture title was passed to the cities that will be its bearers in 2022 – Novi Sad (Serbia), Esch-sur-Alzette (Luxembourg) and Kaunas (Lithuania). The title was handed over by Croatian Rijeka and Irish Galway, and the gala handover ceremony, due to the coronavirus pandemic, was held online, i.e., broadcast on the Irish television network ‘TG4’.

Our slogan ‘4 New Bridges’ stems from the identity of the city of Novi Sad, since the bridges had a significant role in its turbulent history. The programme of the ‘European Capital of Culture’, building bridges, the indestructible ones, within which people and processes create new spaces and programmes, permanent legacies, rest upon this fact. These are the bridges we build between the cities as well – the former, future and the present European Capitals of Culture, whose foundations are formed by long-term processes and strengthening capacities of different stakeholders. Bridges that connect us as the cities – capitals of culture set our local cultural heritage within the framework of European values and European cultural heritage. In this manner, we work on our joint future without forgetting about our past,’ said Nemanja Milenković, CEO of the ‘Novi Sad – European Capital of Culture Foundation.

The gala opening of the title year in Novi Sad is planned for 13 January 2022 while the closing ceremony will be on 31 December 2022..

Let us remind you that Novi Sad is the first city from the EU candidate countries that became the European Capital of Culture and thus found itself among more than 60 cities holding this prestigious title.