The selection panel assessing the applications for the European Capitals of Culture 2010 has decided to recommend Istanbul, as the European Capital of Culture for 2010. Istanbul would share this honour with two other cities, the German town Essen and the Hungarian city Pécs.
The chairman of the panel, Sir Jeremy Isaacs said that Istanbul's application, stressing promotion of cultural contacts at European level, had made a "very considerable impression" on the jury. The city's bid, launched and led by a group of NGOs, was judged "advanced, innovative and forward-looking", said Sir Isaacs.
Asked to explain the purpose and added value of the concept of European Capital of Culture in general, Sir Jeremy Isaacs explained that the role of the European capital of culture is "to invite European citizens to discover the glory, interest and culture of different parts of Europe".
The Council will decide on the panel's recommendations at the second half of the 2006. Istanbul would not be the first non-EU country to hold this title. The Romanian city of Sibiu, for example, will share the title in 2007 with Luxembourg and the Norwegian city Stavanger with Liverpool (UK) in 2008.
