Culture is future » Territorial attractiveness and social cohesion

Always Further - San Sebastian, European Capital of Culture 2016: culture for peace

Since 1985, two cities are chosen each year as European Capitals of Culture to illustrate the wealth and diversity of European cultures. They have to present different criteria: "Integrating a real European dimension, strengthening cooperation between countries and individuals belonging to the European Union and emphasizing the role of the city in training and the development of culture in Europe." The international jury set up by the European Commission for Culture has finally chosen as the Cultural Capital 2016 Donostia /San Sebastian (south Basque Country), and the city of Wroclaw (Poland), after a 6 months competition between six cities of the Iberian Peninsula (Burgos, Córdoba, Las Palmas, Segovia and Zaragoza). The projects presented by the city are always the occasion of major events. This year the cultural program of Tallinn included  251 projects and thousands of shows  the “international jazz festival”,  "the days of the Old Town”, etc.

With culture as a factor for peace, Donostia proposed a project that "emphasizes the importance of culture as a source for a peaceful life in community (" convivencia ")  in a disfigured  Europe undergoing a crisis of values” said the Mayor of the city. An important cross-border region, Donostia has been for long a place of conflict between different influences that the city, crossroads of Basque, Spanish and French culture, now promotes.

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