The following cities particularly support the "Cities for Europe" network and its work through the "Cities for Europe" Advisory Board:
Berlin
Berlin is constantly reinventing itself, making it a very special city. The dizzying change our city has undergone in the 25 years since the fall of the Wall demonstrates one thing in particular: Berlin is not only Germany’s political hub, but a place that gives people the intellectual and physical space to develop. This is visible not only in the city’s many new areas, such as the government district, or current major projects, such as the Humboldt Forum in the heart of the capital. We also see it in the talented young people from all over the world who are moving here and seeking inspiration in Berlin. The unique mix of knowledge, experience, and creativity gives Berlin its special flair and has made it both one of Europe’s preeminent cultural metropolises and a startup capital. The fact that Berlin is a center of learning, science, and business makes the German capital even more diverse.
Cluj-Napoca
Cluj-Napoca is a prominent city in the Romanian and South-Eastern context – in terms of culture, economy, size and population. Cluj is built up by citizens, private initiatives and local governance alike. What Cluj can offer to Europe is inspiration, models and the art of living together. In Cluj-Napoca, the heart of Transylvania, you can find a Europe at a small scale, where Romanians, Hungarians, Germans and other ethnic groups live, work and create cultural diversity together. Cluj is a laboratory for social innovation and citizen-led processes. We started participatory budgeting – a premiere in Romania and still a pioneering process in Europe, we bid for the European Capital of Culture title for 2021 and we already stand as a European Youth Capital in 2015. All this amount of work is based on joint commitment, knowledge and political will – and there are plenty of sources of this in Cluj.
Find more information on the official website of Cluj-Napoca City Hall.
Foto © Cluj-Napoca City Hall
Guimarães
Guimarães is fully engaged in the European dimension and enjoys the international attention it has got, especially in 2012, the year it was named European Capital of Culture; and a year later as European City of Sport. Guimarães is part of the informal European Capitals of Culture net which works on common projects to encourage the exchange and circulation of artistic projects. The Town Hall, in partnership with the local Higher Schools, prepares a European Parliament for students. Exhibitions on Europe as well as the arts are hosted by Raul Brandão Municipal Library and The Centre for Art and Architecture Affairs (CAAA)."Guimarães Noc Noc" is an event in which national and international artist apply through an open call to exhibit their projects in houses of city inhabitants and associations, stores and public buildings during one weekend.
Foto © Pauolo Pacheco
Ludwigsburg
The city of Ludwigsburg, a significant administrative center with about 90.000 inhabitants, is situated in the prosperous Stuttgart region, with a population of around 2.6 million. The municipality’s activities are based on the integrated city development concept with principles and strategic objectives in 11 areas. This concept is in line with the Leipzig Charta on Sustainable European Cities. The City of Ludwigsburg takes part in various European research and funding projects. With our European twin cities we maintain tangible networks and intensive dialogues. In 2012 and in 2014 the youth project “It´s our Europe” has brought together hundreds of young people from all over Europe to work here in Ludwigsburg and on an internet platform the topics, that are important for them, like debt crises, youth unemployment and mobility in Europe.
Foto © City of Ludwigsburg
Ravenna
Ravenna is one of the six shortlisted Italian cities for the European Capital of Culture title. The International Jury has appreciated both the innovative model of creative city and the participatory process, based on the involvement of citizens and the region in the bid. In order to create a city able of developing an innovative and inclusive idea of Europe, the candidature has activated many paths of participatory planning regarding key policy issues for the future of the city and citizens: from the urban regeneration process (La darsena che vorrei) to the digital innovation (http://www.agendadigitaleravenna.it); to gender policies and mainstreaming.
Foto © Giuseppe Nicoloro
Poznań
Sofia
Bulgaria joined the European Union only 7 years ago, but Sofia is among the cities that built the image of modern Europe with its active participation in cultural and social supranational life. This gives a boost to the city and its artists to engage more actively in international cultural networks and initiatives. This is the impetus for the participation of Sofia together with the South-West Region of Bulgaria in the race for the title of European Capital of Culture (http://sofia2019.bg/en). Sofia is a city of history, but it is also modern, colorful in its contrasts and exciting with the possibilities that it gives to the residents and visitors for intriguing leisure time.
Foto © Elina Ninova
Szczecin
Wroclaw