Each of the neighbourhoods of the European Capital of Culture has stored in the capsule their ideas, wishes, memories, questions that they have devised with care and hope that there would still be life in this area and that their neighbourhoods will continue to be preserved in their authenticity.

The messages ‘speak’ about the generation that is now and here, about 2020, about each individual neighbourhood, about the lives of individuals and about the idea of the future as they see it from the present perspective.

Created a new circle of friendship through 27 neighbourhoods

Snježana Prijić Samaržija, Rector of the University of Rijeka, pointed out that the University had been a proud partner in the European Capital of Culture project in many programmes, including also the Campus neighbourhood.

“New creative energy has been launched that will not stop. We will continue to work on new projects and that is what is most important. Looking at the programme direction of the 27 neighbourhoods as a whole, it seems to me that a new circle of friendship has been created, many beautiful things have been done, some new topics have been opened and a beautiful network of cooperation has been created “, said Rector Prijić Samaržija, thanking all that were included in the entire process: the Mayor, the City of Rijeka, RIJEKA 2020, the University and the Campus team led by Rajka Jurdana Šepić, who briefly recalled all the realised projects, through work on the programme of 27 neighbourhoods.

“Within the Campus neighbourhood, we have implemented 28 projects – 5 books were published, 7 workshops were held, 15 exhibitions were organised as well as a number of interactive programmes with the community that will continue as soon as the opportunities allow. The year was challenging, but we will remember the beautiful moments that remain as inspiration for further work”, emphasised Jurdana Šepić.

European cooperation network put in place

The programme direction of 27 neighbourhoods enabled communities to work on planning and developing projects that they themselves considered important, said the director of RIJEKA 2020, Irena Kregar Šegota.

“The RIJEKA 2020 team helped connect with international partners as well as the artists they cooperated with, and thus a European cooperation network was built, which I believe will continue to develop. We have created a good work model that will be replicated in the future, both locally and nationally and internationally, ”said Kregar Šegota, adding that the work on the ECOC project showed everyone involved how easily we could adjust, since the project took place in impossible conditions. Nevertheless, during 2020 and 2021, more than 450 events were held as part of ECOC. As many as 50 events have been prepared for April as the final month, but unfortunately, due to the difficult epidemiological situation in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, some could not be realised, but most programmes will still be available to the public, live once the measure are loosened, and online.

Nikolina Radić Štivić, director of the Maritime and History Museum of the Croatian Littoral, was also present at the ceremony on behalf of the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County:

“One of the most important segments of this programme direction is cooperation, through which the uniqueness and diversity of the cultural and natural heritage of our county was emphasized, which we also shared with European partner countries. In the future, we are sending messages that speak about the importance of communion and cooperation, about how we should use diversity for better coexistence, “said Radić Štivić.

Obersnel: A testimony to creativity, openness, communion, tolerance and multiculturalism

The closing speech was given by Vojko Obersnel Rijeka Mayor:

“Once this capsule is excavated, I believe that its messages will testify to creativity, openness, communion, tolerance and multiculturalism, all that represents timeless European values that I believe will remain so in the future, especially in our port of diversity. Among all the programme directions within ECOC, 27 neighbourhoods have the most stressed European component. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, things did not develop as planned, our European neighbours could not come, but I believe that everything that was built, all the cooperation and creativity that connects us will continue to develop in the future. All those who participated in the creation of the European Capital of Culture programme, succeeded thanks to only one idea that you had in front of you all the time, and that was community”, concluded Mayor Obersnel.

27 neighbourhoods of the European Capital of Culture are Lovran, Opatija, Matulji, Kastav, Pehlin, Drenova, Škurinje, Turnić and Mlaka, University Campus, Jelenje, Čavle, Praputnjak, Kostrena, Crikvenica, Novi Vinodolski, island of Rab, island Unije, town of Cres, town of Krk, Malinska, Vrbnik, Gomirje, Mrkopalj, Fužine, Delnice, Brod na Kupi and Gornji Kuti.

All neighbourhoods have implemented their programmes, have established new European friendships and continue to develop initiatives created within the programme direction of 27 neighbourhoods, as part of Rijeka 2020 – European Capital of Culture.

Co-operators that prepared the location of the Time Capsule of 27 neighbourhoods were Đemil Husić, the company O.T.K., the University of Rijeka and the company Čistoća.