Which city, in 1985, was the first to be designated European City of Culture, now renamed European Capital of Culture?
European Capital of Culture Culture and was conceived in 1983, by Melina Mercouri, then serving as minister of culture in [Greece]. Mercouri believed that at the time, culture was not given the same attention as politics and economics and a project for promoting European cultures within the member states should be pursued. The European City of Culture programme was launched in the summer of 1985 with Athens being the first title-holder. During the German presidency of 1999, the European City of Culture programme was renamed to European Capital of Culture. A new framework makes it possible for a city in a candidate country or
European Capital of Culture European Capital of Culture The European Capital of Culture is a city designated by the European Union (EU) for a period of one calendar year during which it organises a series of cultural events with a strong pan-European dimension. Preparing a European Capital of Culture can be an opportunity for the city to generate considerable cultural, social and economic benefits and it can help foster urban regeneration, change the city's image and raise its visibility and profile on an international scale. In 1985, Melina Mercouri, Greece’s minister of culture, and her French counterpart Jack Lang came up with the idea