Nikšić, an open city of culture

The news echoed from Brussels yesterday: Nikšić - European Capital of Culture 2030.

On the official website of the European Commission, in the sector for culture and creativity, the name of Nikšić was among the selected ones.

It was announced at a ceremony at the House of European History that the city under Trebjes officially won this prestigious title, a day after the final presentation of Nikšić's candidacy before the jury - a panel of the European Commission.

Culture in the center

Coordinator of the initiative and Nikšić application Mato Uljarević He did not hide his excitement for "Vijesti", emphasizing that it was "an incredible thing".

"We worked hard and gave everything we had to achieve this result, which is an incredible thing for Nikšić and all of Montenegro. This is a project that will be a platform for the transformation of the cultural sector, not only for Nikšić, but also for the entire country. We have five years of hard and arduous work ahead of us that should result in 2030, which will be the year of cultural events in Nikšić. It is important to note that the following years preceding 2030 will also give space to people from culture from all over Montenegro to work, develop their knowledge and competencies, and at the same time will have long-term results. In essence, 2030 is just the beginning of the transformation of Nikšić from a former industrial city to a city of culture, which it has always been, but is now recognized as such on the European map and at the European level. Nikšić will be a city from which young people will not leave, but will be a good place to live," said Uljarević.

He emphasized that the support of the President of the Municipality of Nikšić was significant. Marko Kovačević, The Ministry of Culture and Media (MKM) headed by Tamara Vujović, the Government of Montenegro, demonstrating their support for the project. Vujović stressed that the excitement was great, but also that they truly believed in the team that represented Nikšić before the European Commission.

"This does not only apply to 2030, but also to all the years up to that point, but also to those after. It has been confirmed that we are where we belong historically, culturally and in terms of values. This is a big deal for the culture of Montenegro and puts culture back at the center of politics, development, and the everyday lives of citizens. We are very happy, we are the winners, but there are no losers, and we congratulate Lviv as well. We will cooperate and create a beautiful story for a European Montenegro," the minister said.

Kovačević added that it was a big day for Nikšić, and that it will show in the future.

"We have dreamed a big dream, and in the next five years we are going to make it come true and for Nikšić to be the capital of Europe in 2030!", he said.

Started a movement

The Montenegrin city won this title in the final duel with Lviv, Ukraine, in the category of cities from countries outside the European Union. President of the jury Hrvoje Laurenta He pointed out that both cities can be proud of what they have achieved, but only one can take home the prestigious title. And that is Nikšić.

"Our task was to assess the cities' offers against the two objectives of the ECOC - preserving and promoting the diversity of cultures in Europe and highlighting the common characteristics they share, as well as increasing citizens' sense of belonging to a common cultural space and fostering the contribution of culture to the long-term development of cities in accordance with appropriate strategies and priorities," he explained.

The jury was further guided by six-point criteria, which are: contribution to long-term strategy, cultural and artistic content, European dimension, reach, management and capacity for implementation.

He added that the professionalism, dedication and passion for culture shown by the candidates were impressive.

"You have started a movement, a change of mindset in your city and region. Your candidacies have built a very solid foundation for the continued sustainable development of your cities, with art, culture and creativity at their heart. Take this unique opportunity to maintain the momentum you have built so strongly over the past years," Laurenta said.

Open city concept

The coordinator of the Nikšić application, along with Uljarević, is also Nemanja Popović. The Vision of Nikšić 2030, which has earned European recognition, draws on the city's rich history, and so they used a specific urban plan that was once drawn up as a template. Joseph Slade, at the invitation of the prince Nicholas, after the liberation of Nikšić.

"Responding to growing global divisions and tensions, the city of Nikšić has decided to develop its candidacy around the theme of the 'open city' and the concept of 'humanity'. Through a strong cultural program, the year of the title will be an opportunity to demonstrate that openness and solidarity pave the way for positive transformation: from creativity and learning to resilience and collective well-being," the official website of the European Commission states in the description of the Nikšić - ECOC 2030 office's application.

Nikšić - an open city, focuses on the seven directions and potentials of Nikšić, as explained earlier, and the symbol of each of them is one of the buildings or sites that are important for the identity of the city. “Re:Connect”, or “Connect” (with heritage, people, future), concerns the natural resources of Nikšić, their valorization, but also raising awareness of the importance of preserving nature as one of the fundamental principles, with a focus on the Salt Lake.

“Re:Inherit” raises the issue of protecting our and at the same time European cultural heritage on the territory of Nikšić, its promotion and accessibility (to foreigners, young people, people with disabilities and others). The main topic is cultural heritage, and the symbol is the Castle of King Nikola. “Re:Tell” is based on the strong storytelling tradition of Nikšić, and some of the stories and legends will be dramatized and modernized. The symbol is the Rampart.

The "Re:Open" direction is related to open public spaces, and the symbol is Freedom Square as a meeting place for community, democratization, culture and a place where all the potential of the community is activated, a place where freedom of expression and speech is promoted. “Re:Start” raises the issue of mental health, uses the city promenade as a symbol. Direction symbol “Re:Turn” is a tunnel, which is also a symbol of the depopulation of Nikšić, which puts this issue in focus and initiates a kind of decentralization of culture. The House of Revolution is a symbol of the concept of “Re:Evolve” whose focus is on creative industries and digitalization.