As in previous years, Sarajevo will be the center of the region when it comes to celebrating New Year’s Eve outdoors. New Year’s Eve in the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina will be much more than a concert, a unique accompanying event under the slogan “Sarajevo story” is also being prepared.
We spoke with Benjamina Karić, Mayor of Sarajevo, about everything that awaits visitors and tourists on the “craziest night”.
– Everything is ready for a spectacular welcome and the festive atmosphere in Sarajevo lasts for a long time on the streets of our city. This time, New Year’s Eve will be completely different, because in addition to the concert on the stage in front of the Eternal Fire, a part of the popular “Nadrealisti” will also appear and entertain our dear guests – said Karić.
Great interest
According to her, the “Sarajevo Story” is designed as a real Sarajevan party, and the visitors, who will arrive in large numbers in the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, will be entertained by the popular bands “Bombaj Štampa”, “Zabranjeno pušenje” and “Crvena jabuka”, and Elvir Laković Laka, who will perform instead of the previously announced band “Letu Štuke”.
The Mayor of Sarajevo says that she believes that 2024 will be a special year in the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
-Forty years of the Winter Olympic Games, 40 years of phenomenal “Nadrealisti” that, among other things, made Sarajevo recognizable. There will be a lot of humor, laughter, fun and singing. This is quite enough for me to invite all our dear friends throughout the region and Europe to join us and together enjoy the true and well-known Sarajevo Story – says Karić.
The interest in celebrating the New Year in the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina is best expressed by the fact that the accommodation facilities are almost full, and more beds are being requested.
– New Year’s Eve will be full of emotions and everyone who comes will hold an extremely beautiful memory forever. The program will begin with a concert by the Sarajevo Philharmonic at the National Theatre, with a broadcast on five LED screens in Titova Street until the start of the program at 9 p.m., and on Susan Sontag Square until the end of the concert at the National Theatre. The philharmonic concert will begin at 7:30 p.m., when the entrance to Titova Street will be opened from the direction of Kulovića and Dalmatinska Streets, and from the Sarajevo Children’s Square – emphasized the Mayor of Sarajevo.
The reception at the Eternal Fire starts at 9 p.m., when Laka and the band will appear on stage. From 10 p.m., “Bombaj Štampa”, “Zabranjeno pušenje” and “Crvena Jabuka” will take turns on the stage, and their performances on the LED screens along the street will be accompanied by special video projections. The concert is scheduled to last until 2 a.m., and the bands will play for an hour each.
Anniversary of the Olympics
The next period is marked by the number 40. In addition to 40 years since the start of broadcasting of the cult “Top Lista Nadrealista”, in February 2024 we will also be celebrating the fourth decade since the 1984 Winter Olympic Games were held in Sarajevo.
– The committee for the organization of the 40th anniversary of the Winter Olympic Games adopted the framework program and visual identity of the event, which was inspired by an art installation, which is part of the program. It unites the Olympic spirit, the cultural and artistic scene, the energy and openness of Sarajevo and refers to a journey through time – says Karić, who is also the deputy chairman of the Committee for the organization of the 40th anniversary of the Winter Olympic Games.
The event marking program includes a sports program, concerts, memory and promotion modules, various cultural and artistic and other contents.
– We want to rekindle the spirit of the Olympics and remind citizens of the time when the biggest sports event was held in Sarajevo and when our city was the center of the world in every sense. On this occasion, I invite everyone who was part of the Olympics in any way, especially young people, who hear or read about this event every day, to join us and together we will evoke beautiful memories and enjoy the rich program that we are preparing – emphasizes the Mayor of Sarajevo at the end of conversation.
