EcocNews continues its journey to know more about the short-listed cities. After exploring the short-listed cities of Belgium, Namur, Leuven and Molenbeek, our journey continues to Cyprus to learn about the candidature of Larnaka.

Larnarka is a port city on the south coast of Cyprus. It's known for Finikoudes Beach, a sandy strip in the city center backed by a palm-lined seaside promenade. Buzzing bars line the waterfront at Mackenzie Beach. Just offshore, the MS Zenobia wreck is a popular dive site. The 9th-century Church of Saint Lazarus contains the tomb of the saint said to have risen from the dead.

Why did your city decide to apply for European Capital of Culture?
Over the past decades Larnaka was considered the poor relative among the cities of Cyprus, being significantly underdeveloped and functioning primarily as the main service provider of the country via the major international airport and the oil refinery and fuel depots. Ten years ago the city decided unanimously to change this reality and adopted a new long-term strategy of development and sustainable growth. This move has benefited Larnaka tremendously. The ECoC candidacy is part of this long-term strategy to overcome the former marginalization and function as the gateway of Europe to the Middle East.  Larnaka’s bid for ECoC 2030 is part of this broader, long-term effort to redefine the city’s identity and its path towards a more sustainable and diversified tomorrow.

What do you think are the key words of your candidacy?
It’s above all common ground -the core concept of our bid- which is precisely the conscious decision to cultivate a new togetherness, among the people and the communities of Larnaka and Europe. This is of crucial importance at a time characterized by polarization, isolation and nationalism. These are precisely the elements that undermine the European project at its core. We respond to this urgency by proposing a transition from a culture of strength to a culture of vulnerability. Common ground, moreover, is based on three fundamental values: care, the sense of solidarity towards anyone in need, interdependence, the notion that we are not individualistic beings but beings strongly interconnected with one another and the environment, and cultural democracy, the conviction that arts and culture ought to be treated as a public good which has to be distributed equally to all.

How are you involving citizens in this competition?
Together with local artists, cultural operators, citizens and residents alike we are co-creating the Larnaka 2030 program. We have created a large network of participants, the Co-Creators Network, where everybody is a “farmer” of the Common Ground. This participatory design process evolves in three discrete steps: it starts with the Co-Creators Meetings. Through the meetings, participants form the Co-Creators Thematic Working Groups, focusing on different areas of the program. Then, the Working Groups come up with concrete ideas for projects and activities that become part of the overall program. So far, we estimate that the Co-Creators account for more than 1300 people.

What are the next steps in your journey?
We have recently received the report of the panel European experts for the Cyprus ECoC 2030 bid. We are currently in the process of carefully studying the panel’s  recommendations and planning our next steps accordingly. In the beginning of November we will submit the final bidbook and next, we need to prepare for the final presentation and the panel’s visit in Larnarka, that is scheduled to take place in the beginning of December 2025. 

What do you think about the European Capital of Culture competition and what suggestions would you like to make?
The ECoC project is a unique opportunity to rethink and redesign our cities with arts and culture at the core. Especially for countries like Cyprus, the ECoC project offers a rare opportunity to empower our cultural ecosystem and foster an in-depth dialogue with Europe, an exchange which can undoubtedly lead to greater mutual understanding. We believe that the ECoC initiative is especially important for reinforcing democracy and human rights, meaning values that are at the core of the conception and existence of the EU itself. It is for this reason that we suggest that the ECoC project be empowered structurally at the highest EU level. Until now, the ECoC project relies heavily on the cities themselves to communicate, to promote, to finance. We believe that the European Commission should undertake more responsibility towards branding, promotion and support to the cities. After all, ECoC is an EU brand, not a national or a local one. We further suggest that some EU celebrations, such as Europe Day, be treated as shared milestones and be incorporated into the programs of all ECoCs, as a way to have at least one moment in a year that we all share and celebrate as EU citizens.