Expert Panel’s report was edited by the international expert panel members Else Christensen-Redzepovic (Rapporteur), Beatriz Garcia, Goda Giedraityte, Suvi Innilä (Chair), Anne Karjalainen, Hrvoje Laurenta, Jorge Cerveira Pinto (Rapporteur), Marilyn Gaughan Reddan and Rossella Tarantino, joined by the two national expert panel members Diana Civle (Vice Chair) and Girts Majors from Latvia.

Nine cities participated in the first selection: Cēsis, Daugavpils, Jelgava, Jēkabpils, Jūrmala, Kuldīga, Liepāja, Ogre and Valmiera.

Four entered the shortlist: Daugavpils, Jūrmala, Liepāja and Valmiera.

The jury chose Liepāja with the following motivation.

"The concept of the Liepāja bid speaks into a new reality in Europe where cultural competences must play an even bigger role in seeking solutions to societal “rest and unrest”.

This is an important message that has become ever more pressing in current times. The proposal is locally rooted while also having the potential to resonate internationally with some very interesting project ideas. It is based on many discussions with the local cultural community - ensuring local ownership of the bid - and aims to open access to culture to a wider range of citizens.

In the endeavours to implement this ECoC plan, the panel invites Liepāja to further raise its level of ambition, to be bolder and daring to take more risks in its programming. Programme elements to include the Russian minority could be taken further. It will be of utmost importance to ensure the inclusion of all citizens and different communities in the ECoC programme such as deprived groups, refugees, migrants, and LGBTQ+.

Taking the ECoC plans of the team from the bidding phase to ensuring the inclusion of all relevant stakeholders for the preparations stage of the ECoC is essential. Revisiting the high percentage of the budget anticipated from the private sector will be necessary as well as monitoring the everincreasing inflation rates, material shortages and delays in deliveries. Although the risk assessment of the Liepāja bid is solid in order to meet targets it will be important to keep monitoring closely the effects on the programme rising out of the current turbulent situation with steep inflation rates, delays in deliveries and material shortages".

All the report attached to this news.