Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-02-22-Speech-2-059"

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"Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, we would not be having to discuss the European Capital of Culture at all today if back in 1999 the Council of Ministers had not totally – and quite outrageously – ignored the expected new Member States right up to 2019. Only ministers can come up with such ideas: the Members of this House were already wiser back then. We therefore have to put matters right today, and we are ready to support that. In future we will have two cities, one from the 15 old Member States and one from the new Member States. I totally support that, as it will also mean cooperation between two cultural capitals. In 2010, for example, that will involve a German city and a Hungarian one. Mrs Prets is of course quite right in saying that the financial resources will not be adequate for this. Once you have made a mistake, the punishment is that much more severe. In short, we will need more money for the cultural capitals in future, and that should also be provided under the financial framework. I believe, unlike Mrs Prets, that each country should submit at least two cities to the European jury for selection. Taking Germany as an example, I would like to remind you just how much excitement and creativity has been generated in the German cultural world over the last few years because ten cities have been competing to become the European Capital of Culture. We have witnessed enormous inventiveness, with the full range of cultural and economic players taking part in seminars and symposia. I simply believe that this amazing level of activity will only come about if there is competition between cities. Germany will now be presenting two or more cities to the jury, of which only one can be selected. But all the others that applied have stirred up an incredible amount of excitement in their city, in their and in the surrounding area. That is why I believe this is the right way to go. I would simply ask that in future the jury should pay more attention to what might be called the beacon effect of these cities. Europe’s cities are the beacons of our history and of our cultural diversity. Each cultural capital should particularly highlight this by arranging many and diverse events, not only to support national traditions and tourism, but also to truly highlight cultural diversity. I hope that the Commissioner will take account of these points in his new proposals, including those on the selection procedure."@en1
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