Interreg Cooperation Day 2023

With the Crafts Festival in Pirot on September 20, 2023, we celebrated Interreg Cooperation Day, known until now as European Cooperation Day, and more than 20 years of cooperation between Bulgaria and Serbia for the development of the cross-border region. The initiative, launched since 2012, involves more than 30 countries in Europe and more than 70 Interreg territorial cooperation programs to show the achievements and benefits for the regions of the implementation of joint projects in which they are partners in addressing common challenges and solving of common problems.

In the European Year of Skills 2023, the fest of crafts in Pirot brought together over 200 children and adults in the new park in front of the Sports Center Pirot, built under the project "Recreative and sports sites as tourist potential of the region ", implemented under the INTERREG IPA CBC Bulgaria -Serbia 2014-2020 Programme.

Mr Vladan Vasic, Mayor of Pirot, Mr Tibor Pinter, Special Adviser at the Ministry of European Affairs, Mr Milen Obretenov, Head of the Managing Authority and Mr Dimitar Tsanev, General Consul of the Republic of Bulgaria in the city of Nis expressed satisfaction with the results achieved and confidence in the future success of the fruitful cooperation between the both countries in their welcome greetings at the Interreg Cooperation celebration.

Master potters and weavers from the project "Craft Pottery for All" and the project "Carpet Tale", funded in the programme period 2014-2020, presented their artistic skills, which they have been preserved and have the opportunity to pass on the generations with the Programme’s support. Four pottery wheels were turned in the children's hands with the help of the craftsmen from the "Burzia" pottery studio, and on the loom, the dexterous fingers of Maja Ciric wove the beautiful patterns of the Pirot carpets.

The talented young jazz musicians who developed their creative potential in the project "Safeguarding and Promotion of Intangible Cultural Heritage" filled the celebration with the music of their jazz arrangements of traditional songs from the region. Together - children and adults - had fun with the educational and fun games organized by the animators from the "Dedina garaza" Association, Niš.

Thanks for the warm reception of the hosts from Pirot and the wonderful organization of the colleagues from the Joint Secretariat - Niš branch office!