 Feb 8 2025 - Dec 31 2025

 Nova Gorica, Gorizia

Nova Gorica and Gorizia will launch their cross-border European Capital of Culture (ECOC) on 8 February with a day-long a cultural-artistic promenade titled From Station to Station.

Linking the cities' train stations, the programme will start with a morning brass band reveille, followed by a cross-border parade featuring local associations, schools, majorettes and choirs.

The parade will pass through Gorizia's Vittoria Square, once a popular shopping district for Slovenians during Yugoslav times, via the former border crossing, before arriving at Europe Square for the official opening ceremony.

The ECOC in Nova Gorica and Gorizia will see around 400 events in the official programme and just as many accompanying events.

One of the major projects will be a series of 12 interconnected productions by several theatre companies dedicated to lives of people in Central Europe in the 20th century.

Entitled Dodecalogy 1972-1983, the omnibus has been created by director Tomi Janežič and produced by SNG Nova Gorica, the Ljubljana Youth Theatre, the Ivano-Frankivsk Drama Theatre, the Timisoara German State Theatre and the Krušče Creative Centre.

Each production is dedicated to a single year between 1972 and 1983, but due to the experiences and stories told by the characters, the omnibus encompasses the entire 20th century.

An individual production will be performed each month from January to December, starting with 1972, an installation meant to be experienced by spectators individually, and ending with 1983, to be staged at a stadium with a capacity of 2,200 people in December.

Another highlight will be the Walk for Europe from 1 May to 9 May, Europe Day. The multi-day event will see walks of friendship and walks along peace trails in the Soča Valley, commemorating WWI battlefields.

Visitors will also be able to view artworks that Zoran Mušič (1909-2005) created in the Dachau concentration camp, and a documentary about childhood memories of WWII, told by residents still living on the two sides of the border.

Foodies will enjoy Tastes without Borders as the region's largest gastronomic festival expands to both sides of the border for the first time between 26 and 28 September.

The European Capital of Culture will conclude in December 2025 with the Festival of Lights.

For further details, visit the official website here.