EKF was, is and will be – “we hope it will last forever”

The EKF program year ended last year, but the city and the region continue to celebrate. In his opening speech, the Minister of Public Administration and Regional Development, Tibor Navracsics, recalled the past, the years when, he said, it seemed self-evident that the city and the region would once again run for the new tender. They agreed with Mayor Gyula Porga, who showed a very high degree of commitment in concentrating on tasks. – We can rightly say that the application, the preparation, and the implementation are primarily the merit of Gyula Porga, who is a perfect example of a mayor who lives day and night for his city. But the implementation of the EKF program required an outsider who saw the objectives as an outsider. This is Alíz Markovits, who accepted the invitation for the position of CEO of Veszprém–Balaton 2023 European Capital of Culture Zrt. – said the minister, listing all those who contributed even a little to creating the most beautiful period of Veszprém and its region. – This exhibition is a kind of inventory, from which we can draw inspiration and strength to continue in all one hundred and sixteen settlements, so that the collaboration is saturated with new and new content in the future – said Tibor Navracsics.

In his festive speech, Gyula Porga spoke about how it is a great pleasure to look back at this special exhibition together with those with whom he started and carried out the events of the year 2023. – This is nostalgia, although not in the classical sense. The exhibition can be considered more like a springboard, it encourages us to repeat the moments we experienced last year, because it is up to us to relive the memorable moments in this fantastic city and region. If we want the city not only to live in, but also to live, we have everything we need for that today. This is the main message of the exhibition. And its purpose is to give strength to continue, to have conversations, to get together, because huge energies are hidden in our communities. And the most important thing is further strengthening in the community. Shine on! provides inspiration for this. exhibition – said the mayor.

– The EKF brought new colors to the life of the city and the region, we were able to make unusual memories in various genres. Abandoned buildings have been renovated and have become part of our cultural everyday life. New public spaces have been created and will remain open even after the EKF, said Mihály Müller, EKF’s press chief, at the opening. He added that the 2023 Best of… collection, which presents EKF’s most successful exhibitions and most creative projects, has also opened in the Dubniczay Palace and is waiting until June 2.

In the museum, Shine on! the exhibition was presented to the attendees in three groups, our staff viewed the exhibition in the first group, where Alíz Markovits and Can Togay, the cultural and creative director of the EKF, guided the participants. The retrospective exhibition commemorates a gigantic project, helping to review its history. We can see a kind of condensation of the program in three rooms on the second floor of the museum, reviewing its start and development, the EKF year, and the public’s reflection on the programs. On the one hand, it looks back chronologically, then the specific events thematically, with data.

While viewing the exhibition, our newspaper asked Gyula Porga how long he thinks it will last Veszprém last year’s success in your life, i.e. how long will EKF live with us? “We hope forever,” answered the mayor.

And this speaks for itself…