Welcome to the International Launch Event of Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture
Istanbul has been awarded the title of European Capital of Culture for 2010. I take great pleasure in inviting you to celebrate this momentous occasion with representatives, artists and citizens of the city of Istanbul in the European Parliament on 2 February 2010.
Our choice of venue is no accident. As the institution which directly represents the people of Europe, the European Parliament embodies the coming together of a European cultural community founded on diverse identities, sharing common European values. The same idea of coexistence and diversity is at the heart of what makes Istanbul a unique centre of European and world culture, where many artistic and cultural influences have converged since the beginning of civilisation itself.
For thousands of years, from Neolithic times to the modern day, through the Roman, Byzantium and Ottoman eras, men and women of different nations and religions have enriched a peculiar “Istanbul culture” by bringing their many noble traditions in a pluralist society. This has created an important cultural and financial centre along the Bosphorus.
Today’s Istanbul is a dynamic and vibrant metropolis, with a heritage that is both preserved and constantly rejuvenated. It is a cultural cornucopia, a city where past and present, west and east, tradition and innovation come together to create a cultural experience like no other. It is this unique blend which we will celebrate in 2010, where at the dawn of a new decade we will look to the past, the present and to the future of cultural life in Istanbul, Turkey and Europe.
I would encourage you to visit Istanbul in 2010 and sample at first hand the exciting programme of activities planned for this special year. In the meantime, I look forward to welcoming you at the international launch of Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture, in Brussels on 2 February.
Hayati Yazıcı,
Minister of State
Chair, Coordination Board of Istanbul 2010 ECoC