The title of European Capital of Culture is awarded every year to two different European cities, belonging to two Member States of the European Union. The aim of this initiative is to protect and enhance the richness and diversity of cultures present in Europe, highlighting the common cultural characteristics of European peoples and promoting the contribution of culture to the long-term development of the city.
This title represents an exceptional opportunity for the redevelopment of a territory and the revival of local tourism. The initiative was born in 1985 thanks to the then Greek Minister of Culture, Melina Mercouri.
Veszprém, Timișoara and Eleusi are the three cities holding the title for the year 2023.
In 2025, the European Capital of Culture will be cross-border and will involve two cities, one Italian (specifically Friulian!) and the other Slovenian: Gorizia and Nova Gorica. These are two neighboring but historically separated territories, historically separated by a border that now marks a shared path.
The history of Gorizia as a divided city began in 1947. At that time, it was established that the border between Italy and Yugoslavia should run right through the city, separating the historic center, which remained in Italy, from the Transalpine railway station and the peripheral areas, which instead came under the control of Yugoslavia.
To divide the two countries, what then became famous as "the wall of Gorizia" was erected, a sort of predecessor to the Berlin Wall. By Tito's order, then, a city was built in Yugoslavia, Nova Gorica. The borders remained completely closed with only one exception: Sunday, August 13, 1951, "the Sunday of the brooms". On the occasion of the holy year, in fact, Tito had decided to allow the inhabitants of Nova Gorica to meet their loved ones in Gorizia. A crowd of people thus found themselves at Casa Rossa, a historic border crossing, to see their relatives again. Hundreds of people poured into Italy to shop, to deposit savings in the bank, impossible in Yugoslavia. In the evening, they all returned beyond the wall, but this day remained in the memory for years, bearing witness to the closeness between the two peoples, despite being in two separate geopolitical blocks.
Territorial openness gradually began in 1962 with the signing of the Udine Agreements.
The relationship between the two countries underwent a real turning point in 2004, when Slovenia joined the European Union, then again in 2007, when it joined the Schengen Area, and in 2025 when Gorizia and Nova Gorica will become the European Capitals of Culture.
Fun facts:
This title represents an exceptional opportunity for the redevelopment of a territory and the revival of local tourism. The initiative was born in 1985 thanks to the then Greek Minister of Culture, Melina Mercouri.
Veszprém, Timișoara and Eleusi are the three cities holding the title for the year 2023.
In 2025, the European Capital of Culture will be cross-border and will involve two cities, one Italian (specifically Friulian!) and the other Slovenian: Gorizia and Nova Gorica. These are two neighboring but historically separated territories, historically separated by a border that now marks a shared path.
The history of Gorizia as a divided city began in 1947. At that time, it was established that the border between Italy and Yugoslavia should run right through the city, separating the historic center, which remained in Italy, from the Transalpine railway station and the peripheral areas, which instead came under the control of Yugoslavia.
To divide the two countries, what then became famous as "the wall of Gorizia" was erected, a sort of predecessor to the Berlin Wall. By Tito's order, then, a city was built in Yugoslavia, Nova Gorica. The borders remained completely closed with only one exception: Sunday, August 13, 1951, "the Sunday of the brooms". On the occasion of the holy year, in fact, Tito had decided to allow the inhabitants of Nova Gorica to meet their loved ones in Gorizia. A crowd of people thus found themselves at Casa Rossa, a historic border crossing, to see their relatives again. Hundreds of people poured into Italy to shop, to deposit savings in the bank, impossible in Yugoslavia. In the evening, they all returned beyond the wall, but this day remained in the memory for years, bearing witness to the closeness between the two peoples, despite being in two separate geopolitical blocks.
Territorial openness gradually began in 1962 with the signing of the Udine Agreements.
The relationship between the two countries underwent a real turning point in 2004, when Slovenia joined the European Union, then again in 2007, when it joined the Schengen Area, and in 2025 when Gorizia and Nova Gorica will become the European Capitals of Culture.
Fun facts:
- The motto of the initiative is Go! Borderless, even though at the time the Bid Book (the official document of the GO!25 candidacy) was presented, the borders had just been reinstated due to the lockdown for Covid-19.
- More than 600 events were organized, including clown shows, soccer tournaments, concerts with pianos suspended over the Isonzo River...
- One of the objectives is the redevelopment of the most degraded areas through infrastructure projects. Among our favorites are the "Jungle Busket" and the playground on the border to encourage socialization between children of the two different nationalities.
