Alina Pristas

The European Capital of Culture - a Tool for Development: Romania Between the Past and the Future Alina Pristas

Nowadays, culture represents an element which attracts more and more the attention of Europeans. Through culture each state manages to create its own identity and also to differentiate itself from anothers. The understanding and the respect of each EU member?s culture, together with legislation, policies and other elements, contribute to the outlining of the Union?s unity. The European Capital of Culture Program, was launched precisely to highlight the significance of culture and to link European cities. The program bestows for a one-year period, the title of Capital of Culture to a European city. For each past European Capital of Culture the title represented a good opportunity for development, producing positive effects even after its ending. In Romania, the experience of a Capital of Culture was positive not only for the city in question (SIBIU), but also for the entire country. Also, the past experience could well lead to the development of a future Romanian Capital of Culture.