We were already reporting in September 2019 that Ljubljana, Slovenia’s capital announced its candidacy for the European Capital of Culture 2025 (ECC 2025) together with 25 neighbouring municipalities under a joint project Ljubljana Urban Region for ECC 2025. Recently, the Municipality of Ljubljana announced that it has subbmited to the Ministry of Cultue an application book of the City of Ljubljana with the support of 25 municipalities of the Ljubljana Urban Region for the title European Capital of Culture (ECC) 2025.
The application book, prepared by the Working Group of the Ljubljana 2025 project, was submitted for reading and evaluation to a 12-member international commission which will select Slovenian cities for the second round of the European Capital of Culture candidacy in the upcoming months.
Ljubljana 2024 is an all-Slovenian and European project. The title of the European Capital of Culture the Municipality of Ljubljana, says on its website, takes as »A responsibility and an opportunity to become a European metropolis, which places culture as the central driver of the development of European cities – the cities of the future that respond to the needs of citizens of the cities, as well as the Slovenian and European citizens.«
The project is built through a broad integration and cooperation. There are 25 Ljubljana Urban Region municipalities included: Borovnica, Brezovica, Dobrepolje, Dobrova – Polhov Gradec, Dol pri Ljubljani, Domžale, Grosuplje, Horjul, Ig, Ivančna Gorica, Kamnik, Komenda, Litija, Ljubljana, Log – Dragomer, Logatec, Lukovica , Medvode, Mengeš, Moravce, Skofljica, Smartno pri Litiji, Trzin, Velika Lasce, Vodice and Vrhnika. Their representatives are represented in both the Honorary Committee as well as in the Ljubljana 2025 Regional Council.
More than 150 experts in the fields of culture, education, environment, creative industires, tourism, business and other fields are involved. As well as more than 300 registered organisations, institutes and individuals are involved to bring up programme ideas. These participants are a involved in the thematic consultations and events designed to shape the Euroepan Capital of Culture 2025 programme. The central theme of LJ 2025 is solidarity which is the common denominator o fthe entire LJ 2025 programme, a theme that is highly directed towards the future concering all Europeans.
