
Postponement of dates in the competition
Due to the Corona crisis, the Kulturstiftung der Länder has postponed the upcoming dates for the competition for the European Capital of Culture 2025 for the remaining five applicant cities by several weeks.
This is to take into account the working conditions in the applicant cities that are made more difficult by the Covid-19 pandemic. The aim is to complete the procedure in 2020, taking into account the highest possible health standards.
- The submission of the second bid book will be extended by seven weeks until September 21, 2020, midnight.
- A group of up to four jurors will visit the five German cities on the shortlist in the week from October 19 to October 23, 2020. The delegation will travel to Hannover on October 19, 2020.
- The final jury meeting including the final presentations will take place in Berlin from October 26 to 28, 2020.
- On October 28, 2020, the European jury will announce their recommendation for the “European Capital of Culture 2025” in Germany.
The postponement of the dates is not unexpected, but Mayor Belit Onay is still certain of victory: "Hannover will not win the title in September now, but in October. We can do this together!" Cultural Commissioner Konstanze Beckedorf states: "Despite the Corona crisis, we are well on schedule and now, like everyone else, have a little more time, but ultimately all applicant cities continue to face the same challenges because of the Corona crisis."
For Inga Samii and Melanie Botzki, leading duo of our application, nothing changes in daily business: "We have switched the work to digital and it will stay that way for the time being." They defy all new challenges with their team with a "now more than ever"-feeling.