How does the city feel to you? This was the question posed to the citizens of Matera when they were tasked with creating an ‘Atlas of the City’s Emotions’. Which of Matera’s street corners carry the happy memories of a meeting that changed everything? Is there a town square holds the sadness of a loss that stings, even though it that happened a long time ago? With a map and some crayons, 300 of Matera’s citizens aged between 10 and 80 have shared their emotional maps of their hometown, revealing their old routes to school, where their first kisses took place, the street where their grandparents lived, and the places no longer existing in the cityscape but still vividly alive in the imagination. A lot has happened this year in Matera, the Southern Italian city now in the international spotlight as the 2019 European Capital of Culture. The ‘Atlas of the City’s Emotions’ will be open to the public until 31st July, accessible with the Matera … [Read more...] about Locals are the lifeblood of entertainment in Matera, European Capital of Culture
Paphos european capital of culture
Plovdiv celebrates becoming European Capital of Culture
Plovdiv, Bulgaria's oldest city, has been officially inaugurated as the 2019 European Capital of Culture. Around 50,000 people gathered on Saturday to watch the opening show entitled "we are all colours" with 1,500 local and foreign artists performing on several stages. The city, which will share the title with the Italian city of Matera, is well known for its ethnic diversity. Many of its 340,000 inhabitants belong to the Turkish, Roma, Armenian, Greek and Jewish minorities, all of which have quite a strong influence on the city's vibrant cultural life. Some 350 cultural events are scheduled throughout the year, including an exhibition featuring fragments of the Berlin Wall to mark 30 years since its fall. Plovdiv claims to be the oldest continually inhabited European city, with more than 6,000 years of history. … [Read more...] about Plovdiv celebrates becoming European Capital of Culture
Russia’s Naming of Military Units After European Cities Is Provocative, Experts Say
World Russian military Russia has renamed several of its military units after European places, including the capitals of Germany and Poland. President Vladimir Putin signed the decrees on Saturday and the new names were made public on Monday. Among others, the 68th Tank Regiment was renamed for Berlin and an army regiment was renamed for Warsaw, Radio Free Europe reported. Other units and regiments were named for cities and places in Romania, Belarus and Ukraine. At a time when tensions remain heightened between Russia and NATO, the move appears provocative despite Moscow’s claims that the names are only intended to “to preserve glorious military and historic traditions.” However, the “historic traditions” of these places in relation to Russia would come from formerly being part of the Soviet Union, which officially dissolved in 1991. As Radio Free Europe pointed out, the new names are reminiscent of the World War II era, when Josef Stalin held power in … [Read more...] about Russia’s Naming of Military Units After European Cities Is Provocative, Experts Say
The Week Ahead in the European Parliament – February 24, 2017
SummaryNext week will be very busy in the European Parliament as it is a committee week.On Monday, the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (“ENVI”) will consider amendments on a proposal for a Regulation on the binding annual greenhouse gas emission reductions. The Regulation, dubbed the “Effort Sharing Regulation”, seeks to impose binding annual greenhouse gas emission targets for EU Member States during the period 2021–2030, to meet commitments under the Paris Agreement. It includes areas outside the scope of the Emissions Trading System (“ETS”), such as transport, buildings, agriculture or waste management.On Tuesday, the Committee of Inquiry into Emission Measurements in the Automotive Sector (“EMIS”) will vote on a report by Jens Gieseke (EPP, DE) and Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy (ALDE, NL) on the inconsistencies between emissions of diesel cars during test driving and real driving. The report also provides … [Read more...] about The Week Ahead in the European Parliament – February 24, 2017
Darren Henley: EU setback no bar to Leeds culture dream
0 Have your say THERE are exciting times ahead for Leeds which is committed to becoming a cultural capital, official title or not. While we at the Arts Council shared the city’s disappointment at the European Commission’s decision last autumn to remove the UK from the Capital of Culture programme, we were impressed by the decision to carry on with the ambitions outlined in Leeds’s 2023 bid.And we are committed to supporting the city in those ambitions, putting art and culture at the heart of everything it does.The 2023 document set out a new 12-year cultural strategy, one which was created not only in collaboration with artists and arts organisations but, crucially, also with local communities and children and young people.I am regularly to be found in Leeds, not least because the Arts Council’s Yorkshire team led by director Pete Massey is based in the city.Recently, I was privileged to sit in on rehearsals at Red Ladder Theatre Company. I also met … [Read more...] about Darren Henley: EU setback no bar to Leeds culture dream