Saturday 14 January

Official opening ceremony that is going to be broadcasted live by RTV Slovenia will be held on Saturday 14th of January from 20:00 until 21:00 on a Leon Štukelj's Square. More than one hundred Slovenian artists can be expected to perform at the opening ceremony. Visitors will also be able to enjoy a spectacular Laser Show, while Dan D, a highly acclaimed Rock group will close the ceremony with their concert.

Keynote speakers will be Danilo Türk, PhD, honorable sponsor of European Capital of Culture and President of the Republic of Slovenia, Androulla Vassiliou, European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism, Sport, Media and Youth, Franc Kangler, Mayor of Maribor, and Suzana Žilić Fišer, PhD, Director-General of the Institute of MARIBOR 2012 (ECOC).

Main opening ceremony will be directed by Matej Filipčič, which is a challenge even for a modern Slovenian director. Matej explains the basic idea of the event: »This ceremony, opening of the European Capital of Culture on the Leon Štukelj's Square, is a symbolical and liturgical welcome to all the artists, public and the beginning of the European Capital of Culture itself. Main premise behind the spectacle is a child and light that travel through the partner towns symbolizing travel of memory and mission of the ECOC, a kind of renaissance of culture and vision in these towns. Journey ends with the child's arrival to Maribor, where huge spherical object is activated and starts spinning and beaming thousands of lights symbolizing a planet that reflects silhouettes of all the artists that are going materialize similar emotion with their work and participation at the European Capital of Culture 2012.« Filipčič also stated that the opening event connects various art forms, genres and performers with each other symbolizing diversity, while also accentuating the significance of individualism, people's humanity and wisdom that we find in one another, nature or works of art.

We kindly invite all citizens of Maribor and partner towns, all Slovenians and visitors from abroad to take place in this unprecedented event. We advise all visitors, however, to gather on Leon Štukelj's Square one hour earlier and no later than 19:00.

Opening ceremony will end with a highlight of contemporary Slovenian music scene, a Rock band that flooded the country with their lyrical optimism in tunes such as Katere barve je tvoj dan released in 2004, today one of the most recognized bands in the country, Dan D.

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OPENING RAZ:UM - EPK 2012

The University of Maribor will install Dragica Čadež's wooden sculpture Posljedni Dotik in the University of Maribor Sculpture Park in front of the Faculty of Economics. The work came into being in the spring of 2011 on the occasion of Čadež's retrospective exhibition in Maribor Art Gallery.
Dragica Čadež creates her rough wooden blocks guided by the thought of humankind's divisions, inflexibility and the dark side of human nature, which only results in harm to ourselves, our fellow human beings and nature. She forms her thoughts through wood, which has long been used in creative expression. The sculptural opus of Dragica Čadež ranks among the very best of modern Slovene sculpture and she has recieved a number of awards for her work, including the Nagrado Prešernovega sklada (Prešeren award) for her sculpture collection Asociacije na Pompeje.

Hiša Arhitekture (House of Architecture) is an institution which will operate under the auspices of the University of Maribor. In collaboration with the Zbornico za arhitekturo in prostor Slovenije (ZAPS) (Chamber of Architecture and Spatial Planning Slovenia), Društvom arhitektov Maribor (Association of Architects of Maribor) and other associations of architects in Slovenia and the wider area, it will coordinate events and the promotion of modern architecture.
The opening will begin with an an exhibition of the Hiša Arhitektura design competition.

Maribor as a »genius loci« was created in the literary world of Draga Jančar, one of the most important modern Slovene writers, and has characterised some of his best-known work. The multi-media feat, Severni sij (Northern Lights), will be placed in eight selected locations recognisable from Jančar's literary opus. They will be marked by illuminated signs (the titles of Jančar's works), recreating the literary map of Jančar's town. The location of the signs have been carefully chosen as they build on the meaning of his text: Trg Borisa Kidriča - SEVERNI SIJ; Promenada v parku – TO NOČ SEM JO VIDEL; Casino – VELIKI BRILJANTNI VALČEK; Slomškov trg – KATARINA, PAV IN JEZUIT; Trg svobode - ZVENENJE V GLAVI; Levo obrežje Drave – GALJOT. The signs will be lit every day in 2012 along with the regular street lights. The signs will be first lit during the opening weekend of European Capital of Culture, creating a literary map of Jančar's work and linking the city centre. Beside each sign will be an information board with basic information and links to electronic media, allowing visitors to access additional information about the projects, maps and other links to related projects. Illuminated signs will mark the locations (the titles of Jančar's literary works), creating Jančar's town and literary map.

Honorary patron of MARIBOR2012: Dr Danilo Tűrk, The President of the Republic of Slovenia
The guest of honour: Mrs Androulla Vassiliou, the European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth

On the 14 January 2012, the grand opening ceremony of the European Capital of Culture will take place on Trg Leona Štuklja, Maribor. All residents of Maribor, the ECC partner cities and Slovenia are invited. The main ceremony for the official opening of Maribor’s reign as European Capital of Culture will begin at 8 o’clock. At 9 o’clock, the group Dan D will take to the stage, guaranteeing an unforgettable open-air concert. 

The ceremonial event, overseen by Matej Filipčič, will be broadcast live on TV Slovenija. Entrance to the event is free of charge. Visitors are invited to begin gathering on the square an hour before the start of the ceremony.