Eurocommissaris Vassiliou in Marseille, de Europese Culturele hoofdstad (en)
Androulla Vassiliou i, European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth, was in Marseille between 5 and 7 November 2013 and took part on 6 and 7 November, in the seventh Mediterranean Economic Week, which included debates on the importance of culture as a factor of economic development.
One of the aims was to give an initial overview of the benefits Marseille derived from the title of European Capital of Culture 2013. The European Capital of Culture is one of the most high-profile cultural events in Europe. The Capitals are selected on the basis of a cultural programme that must have a European dimension, involve the public, be attractive at the European level and fit into the long-term development of the city.
On 5 November, Mrs Vassiliou presented to journalists from all 28 Member States the EU's new Creative Europe programme to support the cultural and creative sectors. With a budget of around EUR 1.5 billion for the period 2014-2020, Creative Europe programme will help safeguard and promote Europe's cultural and linguistic diversity as well as strengthen the competitiveness of Europe's cultural and creative sectors. According to Mrs Vassiliou, 'Creative Europe will help tens of thousands of people working in the cultural and audiovisual sectors to derive maximum benefit from the digital world and the single market, and to reach new audiences in Europe and beyond'.
For more information
Speech - Culture, economic development and the European Capitals of Culture