Go25 is the brand that perfectly summarizes, using the car acronyms of the two cities. Just as this sign on the ground in Piazza Europa represents very well the claim of this year's European Capital of Culture: "borderless". The sign is placed exactly where in 1947, after the Second World War, a barrier of high barbed wire had been placed to divide a city and a population. Almost sixty years later, in 2004, that barrier was eliminated: Slovenia was about to enter the European Union and finally the citizens of Gorizia and Nova Gorica could meet again without having to complete border formalities. That sign is located in what is now called Piazza Europa and that is where the opening ceremony of this year's European Capital took place.

A truly extraordinary ceremony involving representatives of two nations, the Slovenian one, holder of the title, and the Italian one, involved since the moment of the candidacy. The tragedy of separation and the meaning of being together in this important year were at the center of the speech of the two Presidents.

"Nova Gorica, hand in hand with neighbouring Gorizia, takes on the responsibility of the title of European Capital of Culture as a unique conurbation, aware of its history, but above all committed to our shared future and to the generations to come, who deserve to live in peace, freedom, and creativity. This must never come at the cost of depriving others of these values or oppressing them. That is why this European Capital of Culture is so unique and historically significant," said Nataša Pirc Musar, President of Slovenian republic.

"Although culture, by definition, knows no borders, it is shaped as an expression of a community—one that is open to reflection, collaboration, and mutual enrichment. After overcoming the horrors of nationalist extremism, which wrought such harm across Europe, the values of coexistence and openness are once again taking centre stage," added Sergio Mattarella, President of Italian republic.

“Just as culture will unite two cities into one, the culture and idea of Europe will unite many nations into one European family. Two Goricas, one city, many nations, one Europe. Let's GO, Gorica", said the Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Robert Golob, to a crowd of several thousand people in Edvard Kardelj Square in Nova Gorica.

On Prešeren Day, Slovenia's biggest cultural holiday, Slovenia finally saw one of the biggest events in its cultural history. After years of joint preparations, the opening of the European Capital of Culture marks the symbolic unification of the two Gorizia cities. For the first time in history, one single European Capital of Culture is being represented by two cities from two countries. The opening ceremony, called "From Station to Station", was the first and biggest highlight of the ECoC programme. A huge ball made of newspapers by the artist Michelangelo Pistoletto was rolled through the streets of Gorizia and Nova Gorica, pushed by hundreds of kids.

The first part of the opening ceremony started with a parade of cross-border orchestras in front of Gorizia's railway station. They were joined by the cross-border police bands and marched to Piazza della Vittoria in Gorizia, where they were addressed by the two mayors. From there, the borderless parade - 1,400 participants from local associations, Slovene organisations from Italy and guests from the twin towns - literally crossed the border and continued its way to Bevkov Square, where the people of Nova Gorica and visitors were once again addressed by the two Mayors, enjoying local delicacies. It was a kind of symbolic reunification of Gorizias.

The main event of the ECoC opening, happened on the Edvard Kardelj Square in front of the Nova Gorica City Hall. In front of the City Hall of Nova Gorica and the Slovenian National Theatre, there was artistic performances and projections on the facades of the buildings. The “Borderless Party” and Tastes Without Borders started after the sun went down. In Bevkov Square, Edvard Kardelj Square, Europe Square and Gorizia's Piazza della Vittoria, thousands of people enjoyed borderless entertainment with various musical genres featuring top artists and food and drink stalls with borderless flavours. The concept of the ECoC opening, as well as the script and direction for the ceremony in Europe Square and the artistic spectacle in Edvard Kardelj Square, were conceived by the director Neda Rusjan Bric, who was also the initiator and director of the candidacy and co-author of the ECoC GO! 2025 programme book.

After two days spent among the people of the two Gorizias enthusiastic about the inauguration shows, we are left with a question to which we have not received a convincing answer: to what extent do the citizens of the two sides of the border really feel involved in the "borderless" claim? We would have liked to ask it to the two mayors, Samo Turel of Nova Gorica and Rodolfo Ziberna of Nova Gorica, at the press conference held the day before the inauguration, but after their speeches we were unable to do so. We can only report what some of the people we met think. There are those who believe that it is an opportunity to consolidate a dialogue that already exists, also demonstrated by many couples with the two nationalities. And those who think that especially the young are ready and willing to overcome those tragic contrasts that marked the years of separation and that the elderly continue to experience. We wish the citizens of Nova Gorica and Gorizia that this year "together" can really overcome the borders.

Culture can do it!