European Commission announcement
"Eleusis, Kalamata and Rhodes have been shortlisted today in the competition for the title of European Capital of Culture 2021 in Greece. The recommendation was done by a panel of independent experts evaluating applications from 14 competing Greek cities at the outcome of a 4-day meeting in Athens.
Being shortlisted for the title can result in significant cultural, economic and social benefits for the cities concerned, provided that their bid is part of a longer-term culture-led development strategy.
Once the panel's recommendation has been confirmed by Greece, the shortlisted cities have until next autumn to complete their applications. The panel will then meet again in Athens before the end of 2016 to recommend which Greek city will be the European Capital of Culture 2021.
In 2021, Greece will host the European Capital of Culture for the fourth time, after Athens in 1985, Thessaloniki in 1997 and Patras in 2006. In the same year, there will also be a European Capital of Culture in Romania and one in a candidate country or potential candidate to EU membership. The pre-selection round for the competition in Romania took place on 7-10 December 2015 and four cities were recommended for pre-selection (Baia Mare, Bucharest, Cluj and Timisoara). The pre-selection round for the competition between cities from candidate countries/potential candidates took place on 11 December 2015 and two cities were recommended for pre-selection (Novi Sad from Serbia and Herceg Novi from Montenegro).
Background
Greece invited applications from interested cities in December 2014. 14 Greek cities applied: Corfu, Delphi, Eleusis (Eleusina), Ioannina, Kalamata, Larissa, Lesvos (Mytilene), Messolonghi, Piraeus, Rhodes, Salamis (Salamina), Samos, Tripolis and Volos.
The applications were examined by a panel composed of 12 independent experts – two appointed by the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports and ten appointed by the European Union institutions and bodies.
Find out who's on the
panel appointed by European Union institutions and bodies (see bullet points)
According to the current system for designating the European Capitals of Culture, the selection has two rounds: a pre-selection round, following which a shortlist of candidate cities is drawn up, and a final selection round approximately nine months later. The selected cities are then officially designated by the Member State concerned.
Born in 1985 on an idea of the then Greek Minister of Culture, Melina Mercouri, the European Capitals of Culture have grown into one of the most ambitious cultural projects in Europe and one of the best known – and most appreciated – activities of the EU. Their objectives are to promote the diversity of cultures in Europe, to highlight the common features they share and to foster the contribution of culture to the long-term development of cities".
From iEfimerida -
Τρεις ελληνικές πόλεις για τον τίτλο της Πολιτιστικής Πρωτεύουσας της Ευρώπης για το 2021
Neither Corfu nor Ioannina made it into the shortlist of three Greek candidate cities...
The three candidate cities selected for the Greek shortlist:
Rhodes, Elefsina and Kalamata.
Μετά την ολοκλήρωση της εξέτασης των υποψηφιοτήτων, ο Βρετανός Πρόεδρος της 12μελούς Ευρωπαϊκής Επιτροπής Εμπειρογνωμόνων κ. Steve Green ανακοίνωσε τα ονόματα των πόλεων που περιλαμβάνονται στη βραχεία λίστα προεπιλογής, ως εξής:
Ελευσίνα
Καλαμάτα
Ρόδος
About the programme European Capitals of Culture
Steve Green is the Chair of the Committee of Experts
kalamata21.eu @Kalamata21eu
The official announcement of the short listed greek cities
http://ec.europa.eu/programmes/creative-europe/news/2016/0206-ecoc-preselection-greece_en.htm … #ecoc #ecoc2021 #kalamatarising #kalamata21 #kalamata
Steve Green @stevegreen39
I announce the selection panel's recommendation for
#ECOC2021 in Greece. Elefsina, Rhodes and Kalamata.
#ECOC
From the EC:
"The applications were examined by a panel composed of 12 independent experts – two appointed by the Romanian Ministry of Culture and ten appointed by the European Union institutions and bodies.
The members of the panel appointed by the European Union institutions and bodies currently are:
Appointed by the European Commission: Steve Green (United Kingdom), who has an extensive experience of international cultural relations and the role of culture and languages in society with EUNIC (European Network of National Cultural Institutes) and the British Council; Jordi Pardo (Spain), CEO of the Pau Casals Foundation and expert in strategic planning and urban renewal through culture and tourism; Suzana Žilič Fišer (Slovenia), professor and head of media communications department at the University of Maribor and director general of Maribor – European Capital of Culture 2012.
Appointed by the Council: Ulrich Fuchs (Germany), deputy artistic director and programme director of Linz, European Capital of Culture 2009, and Marseille-Provence, European Capital of Culture 2013; Aiva Rozenberga (Latvia), programme director of Rīga, European Capital of Culture 2014; Pauli Sivonen (Finland), director of Serlachius Museum.
Appointed by the European Parliament: Sylvia Amann (Austria), who is specialised in urban, regional and rural development, culture and the creative economy;Cristina Farinha (Portugal), expert in the development of creative industries and national cultural strategies; Agnieszka Wlazeł (Poland), expert in audience development and former CEO and artistic director of art festivals.
Appointed by the Committee of the Regions: Anton Rombouts (Netherlands), mayor of the Dutch city of 's-Hertogenbosch and former Chairman of the Nederlands Dans Theatre.
According to the current system for designating the European Capitals of Culture, the selection has two rounds: a pre-selection round, following which a shortlist of candidate cities is drawn up, and a final selection approximately round nine months later. The selected cities are then officially designated by the Member State concerned".