Istanbul European Capital of Culture 2010
With shouts of joy and thunderous applause that the Turkish side welcomed in Brussels, the nomination of Istanbul as European Capital of Culture for 2010, Essen (Germany), Pécs (Hungary). Sir Jeremy Isaacs, the jury president, praised the quality of the file istanbuliote, which highlights the cultural relations between the city and Europe have maintained for centuries, even millennia. Kiev, who also competed in the category of cities outside the European Union, presented a brief leaner Istanbul, whose project was not initiated by the authorities, but by civil society organizations. While negotiations for Turkey's accession to the European Union started last year, not without controversy, the choice of Istanbul is obviously not neutral. "Our choices are not political, even if they have political consequences," was conceded by Jeremy Isaacs. In fact, the Turkish victory will certainly allay the tensions that have emerged in recent months, between Brussels and Ankara. The double French "non" and Dutch draft constitutional treaty last year, posed with a
new urgency to the issue of absorption capacity of Europe and that of its borders. Next month, the Commission must publish a long-awaited report on the possible accession, as from 1 January 2007, Romania and Bulgaria.
2010 was the last opportunity for Istanbul to be designated as European capital of culture - at least until Turkey has not acceded. From 2011, only cities in the European Union will be eligible. Each year two cities will be designated, in a 15 "old" EU countries, the other in the "new". This will, in 2011, Tallinn (Estonia) and a Finnish city to be determined. The tour of France, along with Slovakia, will return in 2013. A good number of French cities, St Etienne, Lyon, Marseille and Nice, among others, have already expressed interest to succeed in Lille, Cultural Capital in 2004, and Avignon (2000). It's Melina Mercouri, then Greek Minister of Culture, which launched in 1985, the initiative was then called "European City of Culture" to "bring the peoples of Europe".
EUROPEAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE: THE JURY PRIME ESSEN, Pecz AND FOR ISTANBUL 2010
The panel appointed to assess applications for the European Capital of Culture recommended, April 11, the title "European Capital" for 2010 is awarded to three cities: Essen (Germany), Pécs (Hungary) and Istanbul ( Turkey). The final decision will be taken by the Council of Ministers of Culture of the EU, under the Finnish Presidency, during dusecond half of 2006.
Commenting on these results, the panel chairman, Sir Jeremy Isaacs, found "the quality of applications generally excellent." The city of Essen scored his project on the regeneration of the Ruhr region, capitalizing on innovation. Pécs, "City Without Borders", highlighted the cultural links it to develop with the neighboring countries, particularly the Balkans. As for Istanbul, she focused her project on the theme of "Istanbul: City of the Four Elements" bridge between Europe and the Orient.
CANDIDATES
For Germany, two cities were in the running: Essen in the Ruhr, and Görlitz, on the border with Poland. Hungary had presented a candidate for the title, but a competition within the country involving no less than nine cities, was organized, leading to the designation of Pécs. Under non-member countries of the Union, as permitted by the 2005 decision of the European capitals, in addition to Istanbul, the city of Kiev had submitted an application.
