At a public hearing on Thursday 2 February 2023, a local organisation presented a preliminary study on the potential of the European Capital of Culture for the Naestved-region. The report highlights a great momentum for Naestved to build new international crossborder relations following the opening in 2029 of the world’s longest immersed tunnel, the Fehmarnbelt tunnel. It will connect Denmark and Germany and consequently Scandinavia to Central Europe.

Historically, the city of Naestved and the surrounding region have played an important role in European history. In the Middle Ages, the region was a hub for important trade routes and ship traffic between the German Hanseatic cities and the Øresund region. When the new tunnel opens, the region will once again become a central location in Europe, and hence, this provides new opportunities for promoting cultural and artistic partnerships and exchanges across borders.
Today, the Naestved-region is home to a vibrant, diverse and innovative cultural sector including some of Denmark’s most creative ensembles, organisations and institutions such as Holmegaard Værk, Denmark's new hot spot for art-craftsmanship and tradition in glassworks and cheramics and awarded as the European Museum the Year 2022, the Stevns Klint Experience Centre, which is the best place on the planet to see evidence of the asteroid that changed the world forever, so much so that it has even earned a place on UNESCO’s coveted World Heritage List.

Furthermore, the city of Naestved has a strong commitment to graffiti culture, which for more than 30 years has granted the city a unique status within international graffiti and hip-hop culture.
With its wide variety of cultural offerings and strong regional networks, the Naestved-region has a great potential to make an entrance on the international stage as a European Capital of Culture, the report concludes.
The report was handed over to the Mayor of Naestved, Carsten Rasmussen, and it is expected that the Naestved City Council will decide on preparing an ECoC-application during 2023.

Besides Naestved, also Elsinore is considering an application for the Danish ECoC 2032.