Every year, the EU designates two cities as capitals of culture, and 2029 will be the third time a Swedish city is named, this time together with a Polish city.
This summer, over 20 Polish cities had registered their interest, while only two, Kiruna and Uppsala, had done so in Sweden.
Already last spring, the municipal council in Kiruna decided to apply and now they have formally sent in the application as well.
– The purpose of applying to become capital of culture in 2029 is to ride the wave that started with the EU Commission meeting last winter in Kiruna when we received positive feedback about Kiruna’s multicultural society. The goal is to make Kiruna known as investing in the multicultural society and more attractive and get people to move here because we need more residents, says municipal councilor Mats Taaveniku (S).
Sami culture must be seen
How will Sami culture be seen if Kiruna becomes the capital of culture in 2029?
– The Sami culture is our common culture which is most alive in Kiruna. The reindeer husbandry and the culture connected to it are alive in Kiruna and it will of course be lifted.
A jury of ten people appoints the capital of culture, and before the summer Kiruna should have received an answer as to whether the city will be appointed.
Patric Kiraly, project manager in Uppsala, says that the city is not yet a capital of culture, but that it is preparing to become one.
So far, two Swedish cities have been European capitals of culture: Stockholm in 1998 and Umeå in 2014.