Press Release for the Infoday (25.2.2015) entitled “European Capital of Culture 2021 – Information and Guidelines to the candidate cities”

An Infoday entitled “European Capital of Culture 2021 – Information and Guidelines to the candidate cities” was held on Wednesday 25 February 2015, at the auditorium of the Ministry of Culture, Education and Religious Affairs (20 – 22 Bouboulinas Str.), organised by the Directorate of International Relations and European Union Hellenic Ministry of Culture, Education and Religious Affairs.

The Infoday began with the welcome speech of the Alternate Minister of Culture, Education and Religious Affairs, Mr Nikos Xydakis, who referred to the importance of the institution for Greece. Main speakers at the info day were Mr Spyros Merkouris, Director and Coordinator of the first “European Capital of Culture Athens 1985” and honorary President of the Network “European Culture Capital of Culture”, Mr George Kalamantis – Head of Directorate of International Relations and European Union, Hellenic Ministry of Culture, Education and Religious Affairs, Mrs Eirini Komninou – Head of the Department of European Union, Directorate of International Relations and European Union, Hellenic Ministry of Culture, Education and Religious Affairs, Mrs Radostina Georgieva, representative of “Plovdiv – Bulgaria, European Capital of Culture 2019” and Mr Sylvain Pasqua – from the General Education and Culture Directorate, European Commission.

The speakers provided information about the institution and analysed the assessment criteria of the applications. They also presented best practices with a view to offer guidelines to the cities, which are interested to host the institution in 2021, so as to successfully fill in their applications.

Representatives from all the Greek cities and islands such as Syros, Crete, Rodos, Salamina, Piraeus, Marousi, Volos, Elefsina, Eretria and Ioannina, participated in the Infoday, as well as researchers of the institution and representatives from the Ministry of Culture, Education and Religious Affairs.

The presentations have been published on the website which has been created by the Ministry for the institution: http://ecoc2021.culture.gr at the section “Documents”.