Festival of Lights illuminates Zagreb

ZAGREB, March 15 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of people attended the opening of the annual Festival of Lights here on Wednesday evening, which brings impressive visual installations and light art to the streets of the capital of Croatia.

During the festival, which lasts until Sunday, Zagreb's streets, parks and squares will be illuminated by Croatian and international artists using the latest light projection technologies.

The festival marks the arrival of spring and the new tourist season as the light symbolizes awakening and growth.

"Zagreb should be a tourist destination all year long and that is why the Festival of Lights is important. I expect a lot of visitors in the city center, who will enjoy all visual installations," Tomislav Tomasevic, mayor of Zagreb, told reporters at the opening ceremony.

The festival, organized by the Zagreb Tourist Board and its partners, offers 33 attractions at 28 locations throughout the city, Tomasevic said.

"The presence of a great number of international guests confirms the importance of the festival, which marks the beginning of cultural and other activities in the city," Martina Bienenfeld, director of the Zagreb Tourist Board, said at the ceremony.

The annual festival, which attracts around three million visitors each year, has become one of the most recognized events in Zagreb.