Marseille-Provence 2013 a larger, decades-long, multibillion-dollar development effort to revitalize the city. The official designation of European Capital of Culture was created in 1985 with the goal of building ties between citizens of the European Union by celebrating both the diversity of European culture and its common history and values. The event is also considered an opportunity for a city or region raise its international profile and to foster urban renewal through investment in culture and tourism. Thus far, more than 40 cities have received the European Capital of Culture designation. The city of Marseille launched its candidacy to host the European
American Capital of Culture the OAS's countries). It has three major objectives: The initiative was devised and is promoted by the American Capital of Culture Organization, a body set up in 1997, with the objective of promoting the American Capital of Culture and other, complementary cultural initiatives, which help to use culture as a key element in the development of the countries of the Americas. Any territory of the countries of the American continent that wish to develop the objectives of the American Capital of Culture may apply to be chosen as American Capital of Culture. "Territory" is deemed to be any physical area