The Maltese city of Victoria has been recommended as the European Capital of Culture for 2031, sharing this honor with a yet-to-be-named Spanish city. This decision was made by an independent panel of experts and will be officially announced in December.
Victoria aims to leverage the title to become a European hub for cultural co-creation, ecological awareness, and small-island innovation. Planned projects include the “Atlas of Liquid Memory,” which collaborates with artists and scientists to explore maritime culture, and the “CO₂ T₀ O₂ – Reciprocity Pact,” which encourages sustainable contributions from visitors. They also plan to merge traditional heritage with modern technology through the initiative “Ġenerazzjoni 31.”
EU Commissioner for Culture Glenn Micallef praised Victoria’s proposal, emphasizing its theme of ‘Island of Islands’ and its focus on community connections and cultural practices.
Since its inception in 1985, the European Capitals of Culture initiative has aimed to promote diversity and foster local development. Each capital can potentially receive €1.5 million from the EU’s Creative Europe programme, which has recently been renewed to support future Capitals beyond 2033.
For more details, you can visit the European Commission’s Culture and Creativity website.
