The winning city will be announced on Wednesday 13 December at 6pm French time, 5pm UK time. Our fingers are crossed that our twin city of Rouen will be selected as the winner. However if not, the Rouen and Norwich have already signed a pledge to work together for the next ten years at least, and the good work will continue regardless of the result.
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For the last four years, Norwich and Rouen have been working together to build cultural connections between the two cities. Following Brexit, Rouen did not want to lose the relationship which has existed for centuries – when the Normans built our Castle and Cathedral from Caen stone and more recently as our twin city for over 60 years.
Since then, many threads and connections have been made between musicians, artists, theatre and film-makers, young people, charities and organisations.
The photo above shows the official signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the two cities with Director of the bid team Rebecca Armstrong, Lord Mayor of Norwich Councillor James Wright. Mayor of the City of Rouen Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol, Sileymane Sow – Deputy mayor in charge of international relationship, in June 2023.
For more information and photos please contact Marion de Mello Catlin
info@theshiftnorwich.org uk Tel 07946 261651
Rouen is in Normandy in northern France. The Rouen Seine Normande 2028 bid includes the region along the River Seine which flows from Paris through Normandy. The region stretches from Giverny to Le Havre and Honfleur. The river is the main character of the bid as it has influenced the development of settlements, towns and cities along the course of the river.
The City of Rouen appointed an independent company to manage the Rouen 2028 bid on behalf of the city led by Rebecca Armstrong. Jean-Gabriel Guyant is seconded to the bid company responsible for the Dimension européenne / Relations Internationales and they have visited Norwich several times. Rouen has signed agreements with 6 European cities, including Norwich to work with
in the future.
The other shortlisted cities remaining for consideration this week are Bourges, Montpelier and Clermont Ferrand. In 2003, Norwich bid to be European Capital of Culture 2008, a title which was eventually given to Liverpool.
What is a European Capital of Culture?
The European Capital of Culture initiative was launched in 1985 at the initiative of the Greek and French Ministers of Culture, Mélina Mercouri and Jack Lang.
Today, “European Capital of Culture” is a European label with a dual objective:
• at the European level, it aims to “safeguard and promote the diversity of cultures in Europe, and to highlight the common characteristics that they share, while strengthening citizens’ sense of belonging to a common cultural space”;
• at the national level, it must “foster the contribution of culture to the long-term development of cities”.
Very concretely, a city, European Capital of Culture promotes its territory and its visibility thanks to this label that recognizes a project and cultural actions of great interest.
Who chooses the future European Capital of Culture?
The organization of the European Capitals of Culture is governed by the decision of the European Parliament and the Council of 16 April 2014 as amended. Three cities – two from two Member States of the European Union and one from a candidate or potential candidate country to join the European Union (in this case every 4 years) – are designated each year as European Capitals of Culture. For the year 2028, a French city alongside a Czech city (Ceske-Budejovice already chosen) and a third European City outside the Member State – Skopje from North Macedonia already chosen too will bear the title.
The designation of a European Capital of Culture is the culmination of a long preparation. It begins six years before the event with the establishment of a national competition. The selection procedure consists of two rounds:
• a pre-selection round, at the end of which a short list of candidate cities is drawn up, and
• a final round of selection about nine months later. The selected city is then officially designated by the Member State concerned.
About Norwich Twinning
The twinning charter between Norwich and Rouen was signed in 1959 to facilitate visits, exchanges, goodwill and friendship.
In 2019 Rouen and Norwich celebrated the 60th anniversary, and the relationship was confirmed again in 2023, when the both Norwich and Rouen signed a Memorandum of Understanding to work together to develop cultural links and exchanges www.nnrfa.co.uk/about.html
For more information and photos please contact Marion de Mello Catlin
info@theshiftnorwich.org uk Tel 07946 261651
