The Mayor of Nikšić, Marko Kovačević, and the manager of the Nikšić 2030 European Capital of Culture project, Mato Uljarević, were in Tokyo last week to attend the General Committee of the EU–Japan Fest.
This is, as they say, a significant Japanese organization whose goal is to strengthen cultural cooperation between Japan and European cities that hold the title of European Capital of Culture.
"The ceremony was held at the Embassy of Finland in Japan, in the presence of the diplomatic corps, representatives of important figures from the Japanese business sector, as well as the mayors of European cities holding the title of European Capital of Culture and the directors of the ECOC projects from 12 European countries - Chemnitz 2025, Nova Gorica 2025, Oulu 2026, Trenčín 2026, Lijepaja 2027, Evora 2027, České Budějovice 2028, Bourges 2028, Lublin 2029, Larnaca 2030 and Nikšić 2030," they point out in the statement.
In addition to Kovačević, the Mayor of Oulu Ari Alatosava (Finland – ECOC 2026), Deputy Mayor of Trenčín Patrik Zak (Slovakia – ECOC 2026), and Mayor of Nova Gorica Samo Turel (Slovenia – ECOC 2025) also participated.
The event presented a report on the cooperation of Japanese artists with the ECOC cities in the previous year, and the plans of the President of the General Committee for the 34th edition of the EU-Japan Fest, which will include Nikšić for the first time, were also presented.
The event was attended by ambassadors of European countries to Japan, including representatives from Finland, Slovakia, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Norway, Romania, Greece, Cyprus, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and others.
At the same time, Japanese corporations also played a significant role, primarily Sumitomo Corporation – one of the largest and oldest Japanese business groups – and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, whose top representatives actively participated in the program.
During their stay in Japan, Kovačević and Uljarević met with the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sumitomo Corporation, Masayuki Hyoda, who is this year's President of EU Japan Fest. Sumitomo Corporation operates globally in the fields of finance, industry, infrastructure, energy and cultural initiatives, and is known for supporting international projects and partnerships.
"The cooperation with EU-Japan Fest will open up new opportunities for the development of artists and cultural professionals from Japan and Montenegro, through the implementation of joint projects, residency programs and cultural exchanges, as well as the presentation of Japanese culture within the Nikšić 2030 - European Capital of Culture project. This cooperation is expected to contribute to strengthening the international visibility of the local cultural scene and opening up new opportunities for institutional and artistic cooperation," the statement said.
EU–Japan Fest was founded in the early 1990s, as an initiative launched on the occasion of the European Capital of Culture Antwerp in 1993, with the support of prominent representatives of the Japanese business community and ambassadors of European countries to Japan.
"Since its inception, the organization has been developed as a platform that connects culture and economy, with leading Japanese corporations and financial institutions playing a significant role in its work, providing support for cultural exchange programs and international projects. This strong influence of the business sector has enabled EU–Japan Fest to cooperate with dozens of European cities for more than three decades and implement a large number of cultural initiatives between Europe and Japan," said the Municipality of Nikšić.
As part of the program, Kovačević and Uljarević also visited the Hungarian Cultural Center in Japan, where the EU Japan Fest programs implemented in Hungary were presented, as well as the Toy Museum in Tokyo, and the exhibition “Roppongi Crossing 2025: What Passes Is Time. We Are Eternal.” – a biennial exhibition of the most important Japanese artists of the new generation at the “Mori” art museum in Tokyo. On that occasion, representatives of Nikšić spoke with the director of this museum – Mami Katoka.
The participation of the Nikšić delegation at the EU–Japan Fest General Committee in Tokyo represents an important step towards positioning the city as a relevant actor on the European and global cultural scene.
"Through direct contacts with mayors, cultural leaders, diplomats and representatives of the Japanese business and arts sector, the foundations have been laid for future cooperation that can significantly enrich the ECOC 2030 program. In this way, Nikšić is profiled as a bridge of cooperation between the Western Balkans and Japan in the field of culture and creative industries. In the coming period, the Nikšić 2030 - European Capital of Culture Office will initiate mobility programs for artists from Nikšić and Montenegro who wish to visit Japan with the aim of developing partnerships on artistic projects," they concluded in the statement.
