Members of the Organizing Committee of Novi Sad 2021 Nemanja Milenković, President, and Vuk Radulović, Manager of International Cooperation and Communication, in cooperation with the European Movement in Serbia, organized yesterday a working meeting with representatives of several European countries whose cities carried the title of European Capital of Culture, on the occasion of Novi Sad candidacypresentation.

The meeting was held with Gordan Markotić, Croatian Ambassador to Serbia, Sabine Kroissenbrunner, Deputy Head of Mission of Austria to Serbia, Dagmar Repčekova, Ambassador of Slovakia to Serbia, as well as Norbert Beckmann – Dierkes, Director of the “Konrad Adenauer Stiftung „.

The aim of the meeting was to obtain the support of countries representatives of the European Union and presentation of the final application of the City of Novi Sad.

Nemanja Milenkovic introduced the concept of Novi Sad candidacy for European Capital of Culture “4 new bridges”, as well as achievements and challenges encountered in the application process, while Vuk Radulovic pointed a strong European dimension of the project and the application sent to Brussels at the beginning of September.

The representatives of the embassies supported the candidacy of Novi Sad, and they also exchanged experiences, and they are even more valuable due to the fact that they come from countries whose cities were European Capitals of Culture.

In the candidacy process the support of Austria is very important, but experiences of its cities, due to the fact that for the two times were the bearers of this flattering title: Graz in 2003 and Linz in 2009. Ms Sabine Kroissenbrunner said that the candidacy is a significant challenge because it leads to initiatives and participation, stimulating it to develop a strategy for development, not only in order to create conditions for the status of European Capital of Culture, but also beyond that:” It is important not to prepare only for one year, in this case 2021, but also the following ones, and to plan long term and to invest in the future. „

The message of all the representatives of the embassies is that by obtaining this title Novi Sad would suffer permanent transformation, and support comes not only from high officials, but also from the citizens of Novi Sad who unfailingly know how to recognize the importance of culture and who feel that they are part of it.