Universal Forum of Cultures - Naples World Capital of Cultures

Naples will be in 2013 the World Capital of Cultures: December 19th 2007 in Barcelona, the Universal Forum of Cultures Foundation presided by the Mayor of the Catalan city Jordi Hereu, has taken the decision unanimously.

The Italian delegation, composed by the Mayor of Naples Rosa Iervolino Russo, by the President of the Regional Council Antonio Bassolino, and by the Alderman for Culture Nicola Oddati, officially received the 2013 edition assignment at the end of an extraordinary reunion of the Catalan Foundation.

During the reunion the Alderman for culture Nicola Oddati presented the project of the city of Naples, answering to various questions of the 13 components of the Foundation, and he also underlined the success of the Monterrey "mission", where the second edition of the "Olympiad" of Cultures was held.

: un momento della cerimonia di assegnazione della sede

"An extraordinary success - said the Alderman for Culture of the City Oddati - that derives from a year of work, at times done against the scepticism of a lot of people that sometimes showed even hostility. Others with their "deafening" silence showed not to believe in the worth of our project that, instead thrilled the Foundation of Barcelona, that, with a regulation derogation, assigned even three years before time the Forum to Naples.

A particular thanks goes to the Mayor of Naples and to the President of the Regional Council that, from the beginning of our work together, offered us their unconditional support. In Barcelona a new phase of our job starts, that is to organize a great event to share a world of values strengthening them in the world: we will spend all our energies to make it true."

The 2013 Forum will last 101 days and will treat, through dialogues, exhibitions and cultural expressions, 5 great areas corresponding to the 5 continents. The Forum of Cultures in Naples will be characterized by the particular attention devoted to the cities as places of democracy and direct participation. Symbolically the Forum will host 101 cities: each day one will be protagonist of the event. A special section will be devoted to the Mediterranean area.

The Agorà of the Forum will rise in the western area of the city, that will be completely upgraded through an imposing plan of innovative and sustainable development in order to improve its ability of attraction. The events will mainly develop in the spaces of Mostra d'Oltremare, Bagnoli, Città della Scienza, but also in the suggestive Piazza del Plebiscito, Reggia di Caserta, Capodimonte, and Pompeii.
To the four main themes: Conditions For Peace, Sustainable Development, Knowledge and Cultural Difference, Naples has added that of the "Memory of the future: knowing its own roots to plan a common future."

Naples, temporal hinge among past, present and future, starts from its millennial history to reconsider the modernization of the city.

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