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European Capital of Culture The European Capital of Culture is a city designated by the European Union for a period of one calendar  year  during which it organises a serie of cultural events with a strong  European dimension.

Preparing a European Capital of Culture can be an opportunity for the city to generate considerable cultural, social and economic benefits and it can help foster urban regeneration, change the city's image and  raise its visibility and profile on an international scale. It is also a real asset for attracting tourists in the city.

In 1985, former actress Melina Mercouri, then Greece’s  Minister of Culture, and her French counterpart Jack Lang came up with the idea  of designating an annual Capital of Culture, to bring Europeans closer together by highlighting the  richness and diversity of European cultures and   raising awareness of their common history and values. The Commission of the European Union manages the title and each year the Council of Ministers of the European Union formally  designates European Capitals of Culture: more than 40 cities have been  designated so far, from  Stockholm to Genoa,  Athens to Glasgow,  and Cracow to Porto.

An international panel of cultural experts is in charge of assessing the proposals of cities for the  title according to criteria specified by the European Union. List of European Cities/Capitals of Culture