Information about the European Capital of Culture project will be announced at the government.

Ostrava

Prague - On Wednesday, September 8, it will be decided who will represent the Czech Republic in the race for the title of European Capital of Culture 2015. Out of the originally three candidates, Ostrava and Plzeň are in the final, while Hradec Králové did not advance to the second round. Members of the government will hear information about the project and its implementation in the Czech Republic at Wednesday's meeting. The material is submitted by the Ministry of Culture as the national manager of the project.
In 2015, two cities will receive the title of European Capital of Culture, the Walloon Mons from Belgium and one Czech city. The decision on which will succeed will be made by a thirteen-member commission. European institutions have appointed seven members to it. The Minister of Culture, after consulting with the European Commission, appointed the remaining six.
A delegation of jurors will visit Plzeň and Ostrava on September 6 and 7, accompanied by representatives of the European Commission and the Ministry of Culture, during which their representatives will personally present their projects on September 8 in Prague. The subsequent press conference is to serve as a ceremonial announcement of the city recommended for this title.

Plzeň

Both candidate cities presented their projects in Prague before the holidays. Plzeň wants to present itself to the world as an open and creative city - therefore, it has decided to invest in the renovation of theaters, galleries, and artistic scenes. For example, a historic house in Republic Square has been transformed for the purposes of a puppet museum. There are also plans for the redevelopment of the industrial area of the former Světovar brewery, which is to become a center for artists. A total of over two billion crowns will be invested in cultural renewal. The benefits for Plzeň will be significant, whether it becomes the European Capital of Culture in 2015 or not, said Plzeň's mayor Pavel Rödl.
About the same amount is planned to be invested in Ostrava, which is competing for the title with a project to transform the exhibition grounds at Černá louka. It intends to build a model urban district with a new concert hall, a city gallery, a music pavilion, a cultural incubator, and new living spaces. The city expects that the investment for construction will be 3.75 billion crowns. Two billion is to come from the city's budget, while half of this amount is to be obtained through a loan. Additional funds are expected from the European Union, the state, the Moravian-Silesian Region, and private sources.
The European Capital of Culture project is a prestigious event of European significance. Its main goal is to emphasize the wealth and diversity of European cultures while also highlighting their common tradition, contributing to better mutual understanding and knowledge among European citizens, and promoting a sense of belonging to Europe.