Riga and Umeå: European Capitals of Culture in 2014

The cultural programmes for the European Capitals of Culture 2014 – Riga in Latvia and Umeå in Sweden – will officially begin in January.

Androulla Vassiliou, European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth, said: “The opening events will mark the beginning of what will be a tremendous year of cultural activities, aimed not only at people from the city and surrounding region, but also at those coming from much further afield. The European Capital of Culture has been a fantastic success story for almost 30 years: the title is a unique opportunity to make the most of a city’s cultural assets and boost its long-term development. The title is hugely important for tourism, job creation and regeneration.”

Riga will open its festivities on 17 January with special events at museums, cafés and other venues, including exhibitions on Baltic amber and on the impact of the First World War on culture. Vassiliou, together with European Development Commissioner Andris Piebalgs, will participate in various events, including the launch of ‘Taste and Feel 2014!’, which will offer the public a insight to the year’s cultural programme.

The launch of Umeå 2014 will take place over the weekend of 31 January to 2 February, with the opening ‘Burning Snow’ ceremony. The city’s residents will gather with guests from all over Europe to witness the launch of the year.