A unique and extraordinary celebration ‘Zeniteum :: 2022’, directed by Dragan Živadinov, marked the opening ceremony with popular duo Synspecies coming out on stage at 20:22, whose audio-visual performance Crevasse depicted the myth about creation. After that, host Lazar Jovanov gave a toast together with the citizens of Novi Sad and numerous guests from Europe. 

The highlight of the opening ceremony was embodied in two characters – Milutin Milanković played by Boris Isaković and Mileva Marić Einstein played by Anita Mančić, with 22 actors, 22 singers, ballet dancers, acrobats, solo trumpeters Laura Vukobratović and Nenad Marković, and the entire brass band. Dragana Jovanović composed the music that contributed to the whole audio-visual experience and that was adapted specifically for that kind of spectacle. DJs Miloš Martinov Lag and Dejan Ilić added to the whole thing. The play ‘Zeniteum :: 2022’ is a multimedia event through which Slovenian director Dragan Živadinov, in his own unique way, defined Novi Sad’s place on the cultural map of Europe.

At that grand moment, Novi Sad was greeted by astronauts from the International Space Station, Anton Shkaplerov, Pyotr Dubrov and Matthias Maurer. 

The great unusual exhibition ‘Time and Universe’ was ceremoniously opened in the hall of Studio M, by Dušan Jovović, PhD, and professor Aleksandar Petrović, PhD. Conceived as a journey from darkness to light, from chaos to space, and framed by the story of the great world scientist, Milutin Milanković, the exhibition deals with the concept of time through the centuries, as well as the relationship between man, time and science. As the thematic backbone of the exhibition, the authors used the character and work of a famous scientist who, as an academician and a university professor, found himself successful in a number of scientific disciplines. The exhibition will be open to visitors during the entire 2022.

People were able to watch a live broadcast of the Novi Sad European Capital of Culture Proclamation Ceremony held in the Serbian National Theatre on the Second Channel of the Radio Television of Serbia and the First Channel of the Radio Television of Vojvodina. Everyone present was addressed by the Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, Mariya Gabriel, via video, mayor of Novi Sad, Miloš Vučević, His Excellency Ambassador and Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Serbia, Emanuele Giaufret, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Culture and Information, Maja Gojković, and Prime Minister of Serbia, Ana Brnabić. 

After that, concerts were held throughout Novi Sad in various, unusual locations, strictly adhering to epidemiological measures. 

Throughout 2022, Novi Sad will present itself as the European Capital of Culture with more than 1500 cultural events, and 4000 local, national, and international artists that will participate in them. The detailed programme can be found on the official website of Novi Sad – the European Capital of Culture.