Katowice and the Upper Silesian Metropolis have moved on to the final stage of the bid for the title of European Capital of Culture 2029. Along with us, the following will compete for the ECC2029: Lublin, Bielsko-Biała and Kolobrzeg.  The results of the first stage of the competition of cities aspiring to the title were announced in the Senate Room of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw on October 27.

Declarations of participation in the competition were submitted by 12 cities: Bielsko-Biala, Bydgoszcz, Jastrzêbie-Zdrój, Katowice, Kielce, Kolobrzeg, Lublin, Opole, Plock, Pszczyna, Rzeszów and Torun. Their evaluation was carried out by a panel of experts appointed by the European Parliament, the EU Council, the European Commission and the Committee of the Regions, as well as specialists from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.  

– The idea of the European Capital of Culture builds ties between citizens of countries and allows them to learn about the cultures of other countries. The project allows Europeans to come into contact with cultural diversity,” Zbigniew Sabat, a representative of the European Commission Office in Poland, said at a press conference dedicated to the announcement of the results of the first stage of the competition.

The Minister of Culture and National Heritage, Prof. Piotr Glinski, in turn, stressed that the goal of the project is to promote the richness and diversity of cultures in Europe, which is particularly important in view of the current changes and what we are seeing in the European Union. 

The title of European Capital of Culture is awarded to cities on the basis of their proposed cultural program, which must have a clear European dimension, engage a wide audience and be part of a long-term development plan for participating cities and regions.