The ICC Directors at the opening of the Year of Culture 2023 in Timişoara

On February 16, the Year of Culture was officially inaugurated in Timişoara. This Romanian city is one of the three European Capitals of Culture this year, along with Greek Elefsina and Hungarian Veszprem. The celebrations were attended by Agata Wąsowska-Pawlik and Łukasz Galusek.

Timisoara won the competition for the title of European Capital of Culture in 2021, but the coronavirus pandemic caused the postponement of the opening date. The year 2023 will bring numerous events organised in this city, such as meetings with Nobel Prize winners Orhan Pamuk and Olga Tokarczuk, a concert by Cristian Macelaru, and an exhibition by the Romanian sculptor Constantin Brâncuşi.

The European Capitals of Culture constitutes a flagship programme of the European Union. To research the impact of mega-events on heritage protection policy was one of the aims of the HOMEE project, realised among others by the International Cultural Centre (about the project).

Timisoara, located in western Romania, is the capital of the Banat region and one of the country's largest cities. In December 1989, it was here that the revolution against the communist dictatorship of Ceauşescu began. The ICC planes to organise an exhibition devoted to Romanian cultural heritage.