Marseille and Kosice: 2013 European Capitals of Culture

France and Slovakia have finally chosen their cities to be Capitals of Culture in 2013. Kosice has been formally selected on 9 September, when the jury met in Bratislava. Before this decision, three more cities were still contending the title: Presov, Martin and Nitra. It is the first time ever for a Slovakian city to become European Capital of Culture, and the event has already been declared the largest cultural project in the history of the country.

Marseille has instead been chosen a week later from a list including Bordeaux, Lyon and Toulouse. Its proposal was preferred as it was considered the most adequate to the mission. 

The 2013 title is the first one subject to the new selection arrangements established in 2006, composed of two phases: a preselection phase, at the end of which a shortlist of applicant cities is drawn up, and then a final selection nine months later.

For both the cities, the choice should be formally endorsed by the Council of Ministers of the European Union in May 2009.

For further information: http://www.marseille-provence2013.fr/index.php?lang=english;

http://www.kosice13.sk/en/

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