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Volos 2021
Bird on Argonaut Ship - the official narrative of Volos Photo by Dóra Gyarmathy
First announcement: 8 February 2014
Candidacy of Volos as Cultural Capital of Europe 2021
For Greek text, see:
English text (Google translation)
Very important step in the tough competition of cities
The first phase of preparation of the nomination dossier of Volos as European Capital of Culture for 2021 and the study is already delivered to DOEPAP - Municipal Theater of Volos.
Recall that the City Council took the February 2014 decision on the first claim of this application and has launched the first phase of preparing the application package in DOEPAP - DIPETHE as substantive competent municipal body. The study was written by the composer and University Professor Dimitris Marangopoulos, who is known for 25 years has been the artistic director of the Municipal Conservatory in general faceted contribution to the artistic life of the city, with rich experience in international events and institutions.
In the grounds of the decision of the City Council and the Board the DOEPAP - DIPETHE expressed the belief that the city is able to meet in full the criteria of such application, claim merit the title and to achieve multiple social, cultural, tourist and development benefits.
As emphasized in a statement the Mayor of Volos, Panos Skotiniotis, "the opportunity to participate not only in the Municipality of Volos other and the wider region of Magnesia, traditions, experience, the physical location of the city, infrastructure and especially the growing appetite for renewal and twists than the often revolving cultural practices of the past, they need to demand the institution of an effective and creative target substance. Especially now, in these years of deep economic and social crisis and the crisis of values, the institution and the title "Volos, Cultural Capital of Europe 2021" constitute a substantive vision, a strategic goal for the city, full of culture, with benefits and positive energy. We are confident that the goal will unite all the factions of the new City Council and will provide an opportunity for creative suggestions and ideas and substantial contribution to how we can become more effective in achieving it. "
According to the latest decisions of the European Parliament, Greece (together with Romania) will highlight the two cultural capitals for 2021. Specifically, a European panel of independent experts through procedures established by the European Parliament, will judge nominations submitted by each country will choose a cultural capital of the country. The complete dossier should be submitted ten months after the official call for proposals, which are expected to be in the immediate future. The official proclamation will be made by the end of 2016.
The preparation of the final file is extremely laborious and detailed process that requires full detailed evidence demonstrating the capacity and capability of the city to organize an institution with an international dimension. Economic, organizational, technical, and physical, artistic and cultural considerations must be included with a completely thorough.
As emphasized in a statement the President of DOEPAP - Regional Theater, Paul Mavidis, "is, from now on, a process that requires working groups with the participation of local capacity, speed, coordination and strong political will. With the completion of the first phase of preparation of the application file, the city has made a very important step in the tough competition of cities (several have already expressed their intention), saving time and possessing critical information to prepare the final file to be safe ground. "
The detailed information included in the study were derived from the experiences, reviews and official data of all cities that emerged as cultural capitals, since 1985 when the polling began - as proposed by Melina Mercouri - until last year. Data from the previous cultural capitals concerning budgets, allocations of funds to different sectors, communication strategies, seeking resources, funding and grants, developing tourism policy, modes of mobilization and participation of local resources, volunteering, administrative structure of the organization that has the administration and any other information that gives a more transparent and objective picture of the whole enterprise. Statistics, profiles, reviews of international institutions underpin all of this and at the end of the study expressed an initial proposal for the overall concept and philosophy, where required by the Evaluation Committee to provide clarity and identity.
It should however be noted that the recent selection criteria, apart from the positive counting of events to ensure the diversity of European culture and its contribution to the city to them, becomes a central criterion to promote measures that will have a lasting contribution to the city's development, and this concerns infrastructure and permanent institutions. Also supported the criterion of participation of the local population, not only the events, but also in the implementation of the institution. Undoubtedly a city undertakes such an institution has the potential to strengthen and emphasize highly effective international profile and above all to show that culture is a process rather than luxury, and wastefulness, but social, developmental and cat, especially in such a difficult and complex era.
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