EUROPEAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE 2012

Together with Portugal, Slovenia is invited to organize the programme of European Cultural Capital (ECC) in the year 2012. Regarding the fact that we will be collaborating with the country with which we are going to preside over the European Union (EU) in the year 2008, it is very important to start knitting the threads of culture.

The first milestone on the way to the ECC is the year 2008 that has to be culturally marked, even though we have to gradually work on promotion and on the programme structuring for the year 2012.

That's why we have to start with actions as soon as possible, probably in the year 2006 or 2007 at the latest when Slovenia will be presiding over European programme EUREKA, which is especially intended for support of the scientific sector and connections of scientific solutions and economy. In culture one of the main activities is communication, also indispensable with all activities are contemporary informational communication technologies (ICT).

Our opinion is that ECC needs to be connected with other activities that can be linked to culture and are a part of creative reality like education, science and last but not least sport or some other chosen spheres of activity. Being aware of the fact that in the European Union (EU) and European Commission education and culture are linked in their own directorate, we refer to science through numerous executions of cultural programmes and projects, beginning with technical collections and museums, and continuing with direct usage of scientific discoveries. On the level of United Nations all the fields are connected in UNESCO- United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation. 

Slovenia could also turn to advantage the Olyimpic Games in 2008 to promote ECC and Slovenia's EU presidency. Since the games will take place in Beijing, China, this undoubtedly one of the most media exposed, media covered and advertised event should be used to advantage for global promotion. In the same year a meeting and a conference of all Cultural Contact Points (CCP) of the Culture 2000 programme will take place. It is also said that in the year 2008 first person from Slovenia, by some predictions artist Mateja Rebolj, will be visiting the universe. Slovenia, who will be presiding over EU from January till June 2008, will be followed by France and that's why it is would be reasonable to accentuate the cultural connections between the two countries. Some other projects could also be prepared in this year, World Book Capital -a UNESCO programme- for example.

In the year 2008 we will also celebrate the 50th anniversary of The Council of Europe, which enables further connections. We could mark the beginnings with dedication to Belgium that was the first presiding country followed by Germany in the second half of the year. In the year 2005 European Parliament and The Council of Europe introduced a resolution about The European Year of Intercultural Dialogue 2008, which was passed by the European Commission and the ministers of EU members.
The purpose of The European Year is to enlarge the recognition and the meaning of the intercultural dialogue as an effective way of solving inner and outer challenges. The European Year will be above all intended for the strengthening of the consciousness of the European citizens about the importance of the intercultural dialogue, for definition and expansion of the best practices in the field of intercultural dialogue, for strengthening the collaboration, for reflection and dialogue between the executers (on all levels) of the intercultural dialogue and acceleration of the politics of European community.
We would horizontally and vertically connect all the events from the year 2006 till 2012. By horizontal connection we mean web connection between organizations and institutions especially on formal levels, for example Multimedia Centres Net in Slovenia, library net, etc. Vertical connection could be used for individual fields like science, culture and education and various programmes that complement each other and with projects where a certain organization takes care of one part of the project and then develops it in cooperation with other organizations.

We would like to join various population segments in ECC, including handicapped people and people with special needs, all age groups from children to elderly people and also urban and rural population. We are aware of the fact that we should start our projects already in kindergartens and attract children to participate in projects within the spheres of different cultural institutions. It is also very important to offer quality passing of time to elderly people, provide them with escorts to cultural events and offer them cultural programmes in the retirement homes. We would also like to put an emphasis on informal education and on literacy, because illiteracy is still one of the world's biggest problems. After the year 2010 computer literacy will be very topical because of various agendas, for example European agenda for informational society. European goal is to achieve 95% computer literacy.
 Between 2009 and 2011 we would like to increase promotional activities and events towards the ECC and constantly participate in cultural events abroad until we would begin with the ECC programme in 2012. Again we mustn't forget that in the year 2012 Olympic games will be held in London. Slovenia could use both events, cultural and sport, for the promotion. Sport could play the role of an excelent cultural promotor and culture could »humanize« sport. In the year 2012 Denmark (from January till June) and Cyprus (from July till December) will be presiding over EU, so besides with Portugal, we should also culturally collaborate with them. Because Cyprus is partly Greek and partly Turkish, Slovenia could dedicate part of the programme to the culture of the Orient and also introduce itself there.
We could link ECC with familiar events around the world as well, for example Arabian Culture Capital. For the year 2005 ACC is Kartum, for the year 2006 Muskat, for the year 2007 Algiers, etc.