European Capitals of Culture and Cross-border Urban Cohesion: Best Practices Guide and Toolkit for Evaluation

Culture is an area the European Union (EU) has progressively invested in during the different phases of its construction. It is at the same time the matrix on which the process of European integration bases its legitimacy; an activity in its own right, benefiting from a political and operational framework, and a cross-cutting theme present within many community policies. First of all, culture in its ‘cultural identity’ dimension is present in the discourse of the legitimisation of European construction, particularly during pivotal periods—such as the arrival of new countries or the implementation of new treaties—as a reminder that the European project is not just a large market, but also an area marked by cultural coherence and respect for its diverse identities (...)