Every year since 1985, the cultural grand poobahs of the European Union have designated one to three of the continent's cities as Capitals of Culture, focusing not only on their own cultural offerings but also allowing them to organize a series of wider cultural events (many with a strong pan-European dimension) - which bring in considerable additional revenue; foster urban renewal; and raise their international profiles and images. Since the first was Athens (then Greek minister of culture Melina Mercouri was a driving force behind the program) most of the better-known cities have already had their years in the sun, and recent ECoCs have been more "under the radar." That's certainly true of this year's dup. Here's a quick look:
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