European institutions in Strasbourg seats in Strasbourg. Due to this concentration in such a small area, Strasbourg, like Brussels, claims the title of "capital of Europe". While Brussels is the capital city of a trilingual State, Belgium, Strasbourg has had long periods of rule by both France or Germany, assimilating both of their cultures and languages (it also has the Alsatian language). Strasbourg also has the distinction of being one of only three cities to host major international institutions without being a capital (the others being New York City and Geneva). In Brussels' case, it claims the title through referring to the European Union,
European Day of Jewish Culture of Jewish culture to the wider society in the countries where this event takes place, in the belief that a greater awareness of the culture, tradition and life of the different communities living in the same country or city helps people to know the "other", and thus, strengthens communication and dialogue between cultures in the country. The annual event was initiated in 1996 by the B'nai Brith of Strasbourg in the French département Bas-Rhin together with the local Agency for development of tourism. It now involves twenty-seven European countries including Turkey and Ukraine. The original aim of the day was