Prior to the ceremony of the winner announcement of the European Capital of Culture, which will be held today at 6PM in Brussels, and after the support of many prominent personalities from the world and European art scene, such as Anica Dobra, Stefan Milenkovic, Thomas Wlaschiha, Aleksandra Vrebalov and many others, one of the most respected artists in this part of Europe, Rade Šerbedzija, sent a letter of support to the candidacy of Novi Sad for this European title:

It seems to me that there is no city more ideal to be the capital of European culture from Novi Sad … Already by its geographical location, historical role, a mixed population and some special power possessed by the cities where the diversity of languages, mentalities and religions mixed for centuries and complemented, Novi Sad is a place where the internationalism of humanity found the right soil…

For centuries culture of Serbs and Croats and Hungarians and Austrians, and Slovaks, Romanians and Jews, and Roma, and in the last one hundred years Montenegrins and Bosnians and people from Lika, and even still some remaining Folkdeutschers have been nourished here… Novi Sad is a synonym for a song, so Bunjevac tambura, Serbian accordion and Hungarian violin created here special traditional musicin the last 200 years… Novi Sad has one of the largest Yugoslav troubadours, Djordje Balasevic, who, with its timeless poetry for nearly 50 years brings together all nations, ethnicities, cultures and religions from Triglav to Gevgelija … Novi Sad was also the cradle of contemporary Yugoslav theater, whose Sterijino Pozorje was the brightest stage of the South Slavs.

Novi Sad has been known for its glorious Exit, which was organized by a group of young students from Novi Sad, and which by its character became one of the liveliest centers and music festivals in Europe… Novi Sad has a special audience which because of its multiethnic and multicultural characteristic is one of the most hospitable audiences that has both understanding for classical and conceptual music … for classical and avant-garde theater … In one word, Novi Sad is an ideal place to become a European stage for culture in 2021 … And  not to be political, but let me say also: After Rijeka, which has rightly chosen to host European artists in 2020, it is nice and fair for Novi Sad to become the same in 2021.

Thus the lights of the European Union will help expel and disperse the dark, which wrapped in darkness our region from the beginning of the 90s until the present day…“

Today at 6 PM will be known whether the desire of Rade Šerbedzija, but also many citizens of Novi Sad, will come true. European Capital of Culture was established in order to highlight the richness and diversity of European culture, strengthen cultural ties among Europeans, connect people from different European countries, meet other cultures, promote mutual understanding and strengthen the sense of Europeanism, and with the help of Novi Sad 2021, this city is in the finals for the declaration of the European Capital of Culture for 2021.

The citizens of Novi Sad will have a chance to listen to Rade Šerbedzija on the concert in December in the Serbian National Theatre.