ANDREJ ĎURKOVSKÝ

The summer has got several attributes: sunny, volatile, tranquil, but also cinematic, theatrical, simply cultural. Through these attributes we express co-relation or our instantaneous feeling towards season that is for many of us, without rivalry, the most beautiful period. Summer, however, provides us with an essential „background“– coulisse in a form of long sunny days and nice warm nights. Summer invites us to have a rest, to relax. The fact, how we shall make the best of vacation, whether holiday time, depends entirely on us.

Oftentimes it is said that Bratislava is a „summer city”. Just because at this time the city with great number of coffee-bar terraces is full with enjoying and/or walking people. The point is that for Bratislava, more than for any other city is valid the fact and what gives her specific character is, the people living in.  

Almost all European cities employ the summer as an invitation for their citizens to spend a free time in open streets and squares. Dramaturgy of these events has got one imperative and this is to – address, impress, entertain. Thus, cities are becoming an open-air artistic cabaret with attractive face. Bratislava, in this sense, is not departure from the rule. Moreover, this cultural summer brings great number of events not only directed by Bratislava Cultural and Information Centre, but also through many other organizations and city boroughs that have ambition to contribute to overall feeling of the „Summer City“.  

In front of us accordingly we have got three months of this year's summer and a big portion of traditional Bratislava cultural-summer menu. Cultural festival does not mean only presentation of individual artistic genres, but also exceptional opportunity to remind our citizens, as well as our visitors of new quality of life that Bratislava has been creating in successive steps. We are doing our best in order to make city filled with culture in its diversity, simply we want to make streets and squares living full of culture in a broad sense of the word.

I believe that in the submitted program menu, everybody of us will find his/her „cup of coffee“. In the same way I do believe that this year's summer will achieve the positive attributes. No doubt, summer in connection with culture will deserve it.

Andrej Ďurkovský
The Lord Mayor of capital city Bratislava