We Are All Colors 11 – 13 January 2019 Tobacco City, Kapana – Creative District, The Main Pedestrian Street, Tsar Boris III Obedinitel Blvd., The Ancient Theater Opening of Plovdiv European Capital of Culture 2019 WE ARE MOST THRILLED TO INVITE YOU TO JOIN US IN CELEBRATING THE OPENING OF THE ECOC 2019 WITH THE MOST ATTRACTIVE AND MOMENTOUS HIGHLIGHT IN ITS PROGRAMME – THE ‘WE ARE ALL COLORS’ SHOW. Over the course of an extended weekend a series of events will take place at various in- and outdoor spaces across the city. Its peak will be on Saturday, 12 January. The very heart of Plovdiv will welcome the ceremony. The show, combining music, light and dance, will give the key to the whole year ahead and to the basic concept of the European Capital of Culture project, in which the citizens themselves are not only audiences and actors, but also creators of events. More than 1500 participants from Bulgaria and abroad will recreate on the open stage a large and colorful metaphor of all the main themes of the programme ‘Plovdiv 2019’ and their relationships under the motto ‘Together’. The ECOC opening event is produced by the Plovdiv 2019 Foundation in partnership with international organizations, the major cultural institutions in Plovdiv, Plovdiv Municipality, artists and performers from Bulgaria and abroad. The concept of the event is created by the German artistic network phase7 performing.arts Berlin, artistic director Sven Sören Beyer. The opening weekend programme is made jointly with partner organizations from Plovdiv and Bulgaria.

For a memorable night of cultural immersion, visit an evening show at the Nha Trang Water Puppet Theatre. Water puppetry as an art form originated in northern Vietnam as early as the 11th century and is kept alive by a small number of enthusiasts. Although production value is no match to that of bigger cities, the show itself feels thought out and intimate thanks to the smaller performance room. The show is narrated in Vietnamese, but the visual emphasis and engaging subject matter – folk tales and legends – make it easy to follow even if you don't speak the language.

Standing on top of Corcovado Mountain, 710 meters above sea level, Christ the Redeemer overlooks the metropolis below with outstretched arms. The statue named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007, embraces the whole city, welcomes and protects, yet appears to keep a watchful eye on locals and visitors. Venture up through the Tijuca Rain Forest to the top of the mountain for a closer look and be rewarded by fabulous views of the Sugar Loaf Mountain, Copacabana, Ipanema, the Maracanã Stadium, and the Serra do Órgãos mountain range. You can hike up to the statue or comfortably reach it by way of a twenty-minute tram/car ride.