A charter signed by all local councils for a common European Capital of Culture bid was branded a “mature step” and an “important moment” by Local Government Parliament Secretary Chris Said has said.

He said that when it was announced Malta would be hosting the ECOC in 2018, various councils had expressed interest in submitting a bid. In talks spearheaded by a government commission, councils were encouraged to form a common front and submit one common bid, especially because the organisation behind the capital of culture was a massive undertaking.

The bid, which will most likely be handled by a foundation or a similar body on behalf of all the councils, will be submitted to an evaluation board composed of 13 members.

Dr Said pledged the government’s assistance in regenerating localities, be it through state or EU funds, with 2018 as the target for this to happen.

Culture Parliamentary Secretary Mario de Marco welcomed the charter, saying it would serve to “unite local councils and strengthen culture on a national level”. He hoped Malta would give the ECOC a Euro Mediterranean dimension, not just a European one.

Caldon Mercieca, from the cultural and audio visual unit at the Office of the Prime Minister, said the next step would be the setting up of a body (probably a foundation) to bring together stakeholders, researchers, enterprise and people from the cultural sector to work on the bid.

David Felice, chairman of the inter-ministerial commission taking care of the ECOC, said the budget would be approved along with the bid.