During the last meeting in Tokyo with representatives from European capitals of culture, Christina Jaritsch , Christina Jaritsch Head of Climate Change and Gender Diversity in the Salzkammergut 2024 team, gave a presentation using slides to explain “The New Rural: What ECoC* shifts in European regions”.

The slides presented during the meeting can be downloaded from the attachment to this news item.

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I am Makoto Takashima, Chairman of Sumitomo  Mitsui Banking Corporation – called SMBC. This year, I have the honor of serving as  Chairman of the Operating Committee of EU-Japan Fest and working with the Ambassadors  of European countries, and representatives of European Capital Culture of cities, to promote  cultural exchange. It is my privilege to welcome everyone today to this event “Meet Up  ECoC – Face to Face.”  

In these challenging and unpredictable times, it is more important than ever that as like minded countries, Europe and Japan strengthen even further their precious relationship.  There are many dimensions to this relationship including diplomatic, business and trade,  education, and science and technological cooperation. But among these, culture stands out  because the personal interactions that develop through cultural activities transcend borders  and lead to friendship and mutual understanding.  

EU-Japan Fest takes the leading role in building bridges between Europe and Japan, by  offering a platform where creative individuals can interact and generate new value for a  brighter future.  

The events of today and tomorrow have been prepared to offer new insights into cultural  exchange, and to enable participants to engage in face-to-face communication and build  connections that develop into new cultural collaborations between Europe and Japan.  

Thank you for your attendance and I hope this event will be valuable for everyone. I wish  for everyone’s continued success.  

“Meet up Ecoc” by Eu Japan fest becomes “face to face”. This beautiful initiative devised to overcome distances during the Covid pandemic by the Japanese non-governmental organization that has been collaborating with the European capitals of culture since 1993, is transformed into two days of meetings between the Japanese artistic scene and the European capitals of culture for the next five years.

It is an honour to have participated these days in the meeting organised by Eu Japan fest in Tokyo to present some of the most interesting Japanese artists to all the European capitals of culture.

With the support of EuJapan fest, three photo exhibitions linking two European cities and Japan are running until 29 February: Tartu, European Capital of Culture 2024; Wroclaw, European Capital of Culture 2016; and Matsudo, Japan.