As part of the event “Youth Exchange in the Field of Art Between China and Serbia in 2025,” a joint photo exhibition was opened at the Cultural Center Kisač, featuring young artists from China and Serbia, as well as the internationally renowned graphic designer and Serbian artist Pavel Surovi from Kisač.
The opening in Kisač was attended by Maja Čeremidžić Šainović, Member of the City Council for Culture of the City of Novi Sad; Džang Aimin, Director of the Chinese Cultural Center in Belgrade; Wang Aiping, Deputy Director of the Chinese Cultural Center in Belgrade; Hong Zhiming, Dean of the Faculty of Television and Film at the Yunnan University of the Arts, accompanied by colleagues Wang Yue (Director of Directing) and Ma Shang (Assistant Professor); Čedu Čen, President of the Association for Educational Exchange Between China and Serbia; and Sunčica Marković, Deputy Director of the Cultural Center of Novi Sad.
Džang Aimin, Director of the Chinese Cultural Center in Belgrade, praised Pavel Surovi, Director of the Cultural Center Kisač, for organizing this beautiful event that contributes to strengthening the cultural cooperation between China and Serbia.
He also expressed admiration for the beautiful gallery space of the Kisač Cultural Center and emphasized that this is just the beginning of a new collaboration between the Chinese Cultural Center in Belgrade and the Cultural Center in Kisač.
Čedu Čen, President of the Association for Educational Exchange Between China and Serbia, shared how he met Serbian artist Pavel Surovi in November 2023, and since then, they have brought around ten Chinese delegations to the Kisač Cultural Center. He also mentioned organizing a tour of Pavel Surovi’s exhibition “Throne” across China, which was met with great enthusiasm from the Chinese audience.
He stated that one simply must love Pavel Surovi—not only is his professionalism at a high level, but his genuine smile and warm heart were crucial. He said he feels at home in Kisač, noting that the people are warm-hearted, and he especially loves the local specialties kisačka sarma and kulen.
“The Kisač Cultural Center is opening up to the world and international cooperation. This year is especially significant for us as it marks 70 years of friendship between the peoples of China and Serbia. This youth collaboration between young artists from China and Serbia in the field of culture is particularly meaningful, as thanks to three-time elected Mayor of Novi Sad, Miloš Vučević, the city was awarded two prestigious titles: European Youth Capital and European Capital of Culture—Novi Sad 2022,” said Pavel Surovi, Director of the Kisač Cultural Center and one of the exhibiting artists.
He thanked City Councilor for Culture Maja Čeremidžić Šainović for her continuous support of the Kisač Cultural Center. He emphasized that the Center is actively engaged in international cultural cooperation with China and proudly represents the City of Novi Sad.
Maja Čeremidžić Šainović noted that this year marks seven decades since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Serbia and China, and the exhibition is therefore of great importance.
“Novi Sad fosters sister-city and friendly relations with Chinese cities such as Changchun, Ningbo, Jinan, and Wuxi, and we have fruitful and close cooperation with cities like Hefei and Jiaxing. In May this year, Mayor Žarko Mićin visited Jiaxing, Hefei, and Ningbo, and we deepened our ties with Jinan.
We are working with all these cities to implement cooperation in many areas, with culture holding a very important place. Let’s not forget that Chinese companies are realizing a number of significant investments in our city, such as the construction of three new bridges—bridges being a symbol of connection,” said Čeremidžić Šainović.
She also emphasized that the City of Novi Sad allocates more than 10% of its total budget to culture, placing it among the leading cities in the region in terms of investment in this field.
The event was organized by the Cultural Center Kisač and the Chinese Cultural Center in Belgrade, in cooperation with the Association for Educational and Cultural Exchange Between China and Serbia, and with the support of the City of Novi Sad.