Marseille was an important European trading centre and remains the main commercial port of the French Republic. Marseille is now France's largest city on the Mediterranean coast and the largest port for commerce, freight and cruise ships. The city was European Capital of Culture in 2013 and European Capital of Sport in 2017; it hosted matches at the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2016. It is home to Aix-Marseille University. Marseille is the second-largest city in France after Paris and the centre of the third-largest metropolitan area in France after Paris and Lyon. To the east, starting in the small fishing
University Network of the European Capitals of Culture Annual Conference was organized by Liverpool Hope University and the University of Liverpool. The Keynote Speaker of the Conference was Prince Charles-Louis d’Arenberg. In 2010, when the European Capital of Culture programme celebrated its 25th anniversary. The University of Pécs hosted the General Assembly and Annual Conference of UNeECC. We were organizing a joint conference of UNeECC and the Compostela Group of Universities providing a unique platform for scientific collaboration and networking. In 2011, UNeECC celebrated its 5th year of founding. The Annual Conference was held in Antwerp, Belgium, European Capital of Culture 1993. In 2012 UNeECC organized its Annual