This year’s Europe Day 2025 was marked on Saturday, May 10, with a full-day event at the Silosi in Belgrade, under the slogan: “Serbia is Europe – Better Together.”
Visitors had the unique opportunity to watch live as Polish artist NeSpoon painted a mural on one of the silo, right before their eyes, featuring a motif of traditional Serbian lacework – a form of handcraft that is part of the urban folk costume of Vojvodina from the late 19th century, and which is now part of the permanent collection of the Ethnographic Museum.
“We are here today to celebrate the 75th birthday of Europe. No matter our age, a great future lies ahead of us”, said Ambassador Emanuele Giaufret in his welcoming remarks. “We wanted to mark this special occasion together with you – the citizens of Belgrade and Serbia. There will be many exciting activities and programs today, but the key message I want to convey is that Europe is a home of solidarity, of values, a home where we work together for a better life. Because – we are better together!”, said Ambassador Giaufret.
The program was opened by the choir “DFhor” led by Bojana Vunturišević, along with the group (O)pusti glas, who sang together with the audience.
Until May 16, visitors can explore the exhibition “Serbia is Europe – Better Together” in Silo 1, featuring 22 visual panels. The exhibition creatively illustrates how, despite their differences, the peoples of Europe share deep cultural similarities. Seemingly unrelated photo pairings highlight the many ways in which European nations are interconnected and underscore the shared values that unite them. The exhibition also emphasizes the enduring cultural and traditional links between Serbia and EU countries.
An immersive room offered an innovative experience through the “Innovation on the Move” virtual exhibition. Attendees were able to engage with interactive displays, watch VR films produced by CERN, and enjoy a range of European science documentaries through virtual reality headsets. Children, too, experienced popular animated films in a new and exciting way—through virtual reality.
In the Bee Garden within the Silosi complex, three one-hour workshops titled “Life of Bees” were held. Visitors, dressed in authentic beekeeping suits, toured the garden, learned fascinating facts about bees, and sampled fresh honey produced on-site. For the youngest visitors, the theater ensemble “Jelenica” performed the play “Maya the Bee” right in the Bee Garden.
Throughout the day, children also took part in creative workshops alongside their parents. Artworks created during these sessions will be used to build a mural called the “Wall of Friendship”—a symbolic gift from the children of Belgrade to Europe in honor of Europe Day 2025.
The celebration of Europe Day continues with the “Serbia is Europe – Better Together” caravan, which will visit six cities across Serbia throughout May—Novi Sad, Čačak, Kragujevac, Pančevo, Niš, and Novi Pazar. In each city, the “Innovation on the Move” virtual exhibition will be showcased, offering visitors across the country the chance to engage with this unique and interactive experience.
Caravan will visit Novi Sad on June 15 and 16 at the Svilara Cultural Station, while residents of Čačak will have the opportunity to attend the interactive exhibition on Monday, May 19 at the Start-Up Center. In Kragujevac, the caravan will be hosted by the “Đura Jakšić” Gallery on May 23, and in Pančevo on May 26 at the Gallery of Contemporary Art. Two-day visits of the caravan “Serbia is Europe – Better Together” are scheduled for the Science and Technology Park in Niš on May 28 and 29, while in Novi Pazar, the host of the caravan will be the Novi Pazar Cultural Center on May 29 and 30.
