On the way to the Chemnitz2025 cultural region

Today, Wednesday 8 July 2020, the mayors of the Chemnitz 2025 cultural region met with Marco Wanderwitz MdB, Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy and Federal Government Commissioner for the New Federal States, and Barbara Klepsch, Minister of State for Culture and Tourism in Annaberg-Buchholz. The main focus was on discussing joint projects and possible support from the federal and state levels.

Marco Wanderwitz MdB, Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy and Federal Government Commissioner for the New Federal States: "As Federal Government Commissioner for the New Federal States, I am naturally delighted about the successful applications from Chemnitz and Magdeburg in the first round. As a Saxon, I feel particularly close to my native city of Chemnitz. The city, the third largest in the new federal states and Saxony outside of Berlin, is self-confidently and diversely engaged with art and culture and with its upheavals. The committed participation of many people and 25 municipalities in the surrounding area is remarkable. It is a great opportunity for the region to present the magnificent architectural evidence of industrialisation and modern art to a European audience."

Barbara Klepsch, Saxon State Minister for Culture and Tourism: "A successful bid by Chemnitz as Capital of Culture would not only benefit the city of Chemnitz, but would also have a positive impact on the entire region. For example, I see great touristic and cultural potential through cooperation with the UNESCO World Heritage Ore Mountains/Krušnohoří Mining Region. It is therefore important for the application that we all pull together."

The joint meeting served to determine the cultural region's position on the basis of a current potential analysis and to discuss joint projects within the European Capital of Culture 2025 bid.

The European jury's report on the evaluation of the first round of applications expressly praised the idea of the Chemnitz2025 cultural region. At the same time, it was recommended that the joint strategy be further concretised in terms of objectives and timetable and integrated into a sustainable concept. This work has been driven forward in recent months despite the difficult conditions and has been presented for discussion today.

Barbara Ludwig, Mayor of the City of Chemnitz: "The cultural region along the Chemnitz model is already an asset today. The very fact that we are not meeting to discuss common problems, but to seize common opportunities, is one of the positive effects of the application process. The common orientation towards stronger cooperation with the Czech Republic is another important point. We want to tell Europe how, thanks to our tram network, creative ideas and a culture-based strategy, we are able to find solutions to the challenges of our time, such as keeping people in the region together."

Rolf Schmidt, Lord Mayor of Annaberg-Buchholz: "I am motivated by the experience of the World Heritage process. We achieved a lot there. And now we are continuing with the Capital of Culture process. When Europe looks to Chemnitz, it automatically looks to Annaberg-Buchholz and the Ore Mountains. The cooperation is important for all of us: for example, for tourism in the region or demographic development."

Chemnitz is applying for the title of European Capital of Culture 2025 with the support of the region. The final application book must be submitted on 21 September 2020. The decision on the awarding of the title will then be made on 28 October 2020.

The cultural region includes Chemnitz: Amtsberg, Annaberg-Buchholz, Aue, Augustusburg, Burgstädt, Burkhardtsdorf, Flöha, Frankenberg/Saxony, Hainichen, Jahnsdorf/Erzgebirge, Lichtenau, Limbach-Oberfrohna, Lößnitz, Mittweida, Neukirchen/Erzgebirge, Niederdorf, Niederwiesa, Niederwürschnitz, Oelsnitz, Olbernhau, Pockau-Lengefeld, Stollberg/Erzgebirge, Thalheim/Erzgebirge, Zwönitz - and the associated partners Freiberg, Zschopau and Zwickau.