The potentials of Novi Sad to become the European Capital of Culture were presented at the Donaufest in Ulm/Neu-Ulm. The Donaufest, international Danube festival, is the leading event in the Danube Region when it comes to cultural manifestations and partnerships. It promotes unity in diversity, the idea of cultural cooperation and strengthening of European solidarity.

The quarter million visitors of this leading international event, which has been held since 1998, had the chance to visit the pavilion of Novi Sad for the first time. The pavilion of Novi Sad was within the Edwin-Scharff-Haus, on the Danube bank, where the central opening ceremony also took place.

Under the motto ‘Novi Sad – Open City’, different national communities, cultural institutions and festivals of Novi Sad were presented, as well as the efforts of the city to become the European Capital of Culture. This presentation of the City of Novi Sad in Ulm was supported by many city institutions of culture and festivals: Matica Srpska, Museum of Vojvodina, City Museum of Novi Sad, Institutes for Culture of Ruthenians and Slovaks of Vojvodina, Days of Brazil, Street Musicians Festival and Danube Dialogues.

The special surprise was a three dimensional model of Albert Einstein’s pipe, made especially for this occasion in order to emphasise the link between Ulm and Novi Sad. Visitors of the pavilion had a chance to get to know Novi Sad through exhibitions, screenings, artefacts and computer terminals. ‘Silent disco’ transferred the atmosphere from Novi Sad festivals through headphones, and there was also children’s corner for which colouring books of Novi Sad were made. Special exhibition presented different national communities of Novi Sad, including those that were more numerous in the past than today, like Armenians of Novi Sad.