Valletta council presents final European Capital of Culture bid

Valletta local council this morning presented its final bid to be the European Capital of Culture (ECoC) in 2018.

The bid was prepared by the Valletta 2018 Foundation and presented to the Culture and Tourism Ministry, the local ECoC managing authority.

A new promotional video was shown at the presentation showcasing Valletta as a dynamic city of ancient artistic traditions and cutting-edge technology and design.

Directed by Paul Parker, the film features real-life artists, designers and craftsmen, who carried the final bid into the presentation at the Culture and Tourism Ministry in Valletta this morning.

Titled Imagine 18, the bid aims to achieve long-term, culture-led regeneration of the capital.

Valletta 2018 chairman David Felice said today's final bid was only the beginning of a long journey that will hopefully take Valletta far beyond the year itself.

"Valletta's bid is inspired by a call to imagine a future which is better than the present," Mr Felice said.

An outline cultural programme has now been developed following a series of public events, workshops and conferences that have taken place since the first draft of the bid was presented in January.

For the final bid, the Valletta 2018 artistic team – led by artistic director Wayne Marshall and seven artistic programme directors – developed ideas sent in by many organisations and individuals structured around four themes: Generations, Routes, Cities and Islands.

After thanking the Valletta 2018 Foundation for its work on the bid, Culture and Tourism Minister Mario de Marco said the Government is committed towards investing in cultural heritage, the creative economy and the tourism product as these are necessary for the successful organisation of the ECoC project.

"Malta should aim to organise a successful project with benefits beyond 2018," De de Marco added.

This morning's presentation was the last step before the final selection meeting on October 12 when an international panel of cultural experts will decide whether Valletta will be awarded the ECoC distinction.

Two cities hold the ECoC title each year. In 2018 the cities will be in Malta and the Netherlands.

Valletta is running unopposed to be Malta's representative but it must still prove to the judging panel that it is fully deserving of the title.