As of 1 January, Bulgaria’s Plovdiv and Matera in Italy are joint European Capitals of Culture for 2019, promoting cultural development and tourism in both cities.
The European Capital of Culture initiative, which began in 1985, selects cities based on ongoing and future cultural programmes which must have a strong European dimension. Cities selected as Capitals of Culture – such as Valletta (Malta) and Leeuwarden (Netherlands) in 2018, Plovdiv and Matera in 2019 and Rijeka (Croatia) and Galway (Ireland) in 2020 – are expected to promote local participation in cultural events, boost their international image and develop socially and economically.
Read the full article at Government Europa