A good atmosphere, well-known tracks performed by top artists and a message of unity marked the “Under the Starry Roof” concert, which attracted a large number of people to Belgrade’s Kalemegdan. The concert is part of the celebration of Europe Day, which the Delegation of the European Union celebrates this year under the slogan “Europe is our home”.
The citizens were entertained by the Big Band of the Radio and Television of Serbia, and they were supported by great artists – Vasil Hadžimanov, Marko Luis, Zoe Kida and Bojana Stamenov. At the beginning of the concert, the anthems of Serbia and the European Union were performed.
“Welcome to the Europe Day concert at the beautiful Kalemegdan, a place that preserves centuries of history and rich culture. Serbia has produced many artists and scientists who lived and created in European countries. The European Union proudly supports Serbian culture and considers it an important part of European cultural heritage From here we can see the river Sava, a little lower and the Danube, the two rivers that connect us. We are helping to preserve the cultural treasures of this country and we are doing it for the sake of the citizens of Serbia and because we believe that we are better together. Europe is our common home, we have always lived in it together, and that is why today we celebrate the ideas and values that lead and unite our peoples. I wish you to enjoy the music and wonderful performers tonight and that they further connect us under this common roof.” said EU Ambassador to Serbia Emanuele Giaufret in Serbian.
After that, a real musical journey followed – from different styles and rhythms, all in the top performance of the Big Band. In the first part of the concert, Vasil Hadžimanov added more notes to them with a virtuoso performance on the piano, while the contrasts merged into a beautiful symphony.
It was followed by Ana Radonjić, known by her stage name Zoe Kida, who showed a wide range of musical talent, from the track “My Baby Just Cares for Me”, to the songs of “Zemlja gruva” (her band) and “Ja bih da pevam još malo” (I would like to sing some more) by Dejan Cukić, which performed with the next participant on stage, Marko Luis.
The programme was completed by Bojana Stamenov, the representative of Serbia at Eurovision 2015. Bojana’s unique voice and energy especially involved the audience, who together with her sang the famous song of the Swedish band ABBA “The Winner Takes It All”. Together with Zoe Kida, they sang the song “Zlatni dan” (Golden Day) by Bisera Valetalić at the end.
“We are very happy when we are on stage, thank you for being here in such large numbers. We were talking behind the stage about how beautiful you are and how nice it is to see you, and we are honoured,” said Bojana.
Apart from the concert in Belgrade, Europe Day will also be celebrated in other cities in Serbia.
Europe Day is celebrated throughout Europe, and Belgrade is only one of the cities that remembers the Schuman Declaration, which launched the European idea of the commonality and unity of the continent.
It is one of the most important holidays of the European Union, and it celebrates peace and unity. Europeans are united by the desire for a better life and a prosperous common future.
The European Union will organise a series of talks with young people from the academic community about what the goals are for Serbia, where they see the country in the development of innovative technologies, as well as the spread of creative ideas. In Nis, Subotica, Kragujevac, Užice and Novi Pazar, there will be discussions about the Growth Plan, digitisation and innovations, circular economy, cultural heritage, but also about creative industries that put Serbia on the European cultural map.
In Novi Sad, the European Union will be the main partner of the Agricultural Fair, with a special pavilion that will present the support that the EU offers to agriculture in Serbia, as well as opportunities for farmers. The member countries of the European Union will also have their stands, where they will present some of the most important agricultural products from their countries. In the period from May 18 to 23, in Hall 1 of the Novi Sad Fair, visitors can expect a rich program and inspiring talks, and they will also have the opportunity to taste numerous products from the countries of the European Union.
