When it comes to the city of Timișoara, people agree that it is Different. Different as in open, brave and diverse. A city that has not shied away from moving against the current, and becoming, in its best moments, a movement in itself. A city that has not been ashamed of being part of the counterculture, with a strong history of multiculturalism, and a passion for independence.

Whenever Timișoara became complacent and conformist, it has stagnated.

Now, with the title of European Capital of Culture, and with this February’s Opening, we want Timișoara to celebrate this independent spirit. We want to show that it has rediscovered its revolutionary verve again in recent years. That it has courage and openness, and can build on its history from over a century ago as a welcome host for experimentation and collaboration, whether we are talking about arts, technology, architecture, education or culture in general.