After the members of the Assembly of the City of Novi Sad have adopted a Decision that Cultural Center of Novi Sad establish a special Foundation that will manage the project „Novi Sad 2021“, last night in the Conference Hall of the City Hall a cocktail party was held. On this occasion Protocol on Cooperation and Support with the company Mercator-S was signed, as the first partner of the project from the commercial sector.

President of the Organizing Committee of „Novi Sad 2021“, Nemanja Milenković, welcomed the guests noting that one of the definitions of culture is „way of living“, and it is important to put a full stop on one process in the whole.

– In this case it is a huge exclamation point – Novi Sad has become the European Capital of Culture 2021. And full stop actually refers to an entire process that has lasted, and I believe it is important to mark it in an appropriate way in order to thank everyone who participated in some way in this project – said Milenković.

He especially emphasized the fact that Novi Sad is one of the most important Serbian brands.

– If you tell someone from abroad that Novi Sad was declared the European Youth Capital 2019, that in 2020 it marks 20 years of EXIT, one of the best European music festivals, and that in 2021 it will be the European Capital of Culture that is something that not even one tourist, nor investor, will miss. But in the end all that is not important for tourists and investors, but only for ourselves – said Milenković, adding that in the way we use it, we will all see benefits in the city where we live.

At last night’s ceremony the Protocol on Cooperation and Support with Mercator-S, as the first partner from the commercial sector, was also signed.

Executive Marketing Director of Mercator-S, Matija Protić, said he believes in the idea of Novi Sad as the European Capital of Culture: „We are pleased that companies Mercator-S and Idea have become part of the project. In this way we fulfill our mission of business to be part of the community in which we operate.“

According to Milenković, project „Novi Sad 2021“ has already had in the process of candidacy a common point that brought together various stakeholders in the whole process are thus has given a kind of „tailwind“ to changes.

– I will not say that the candidacy, and then the title of European Capital of Culture are responsible for adopting Cultural Development Strategy of the City – it would have been adopted anyway; I will not say that just because of the candidacy „Chinatown“ will one day become a Youth Creative Polis … The city will certainly evolve, but this set it all as motivation to achieve all the desired things in certain time limits – said Milenković and stressed that the project „Novi Sad 2021“ nor the title of European Capital of Culture will do that all in Novi Sad improves, but it only depends on all citizens of Novi Sad.