A Good Will Protocol of the Estonian Towns of Culture
Considering
- Tallinn being the European Capital of Culture in 2011,
- Choosing Tallinn to be the European Capital of Culture, therefore being the biggest and the most important international event in the Republic of Estonia during the period of restoration of independence,
- Being given the unique possibility for Tallinn and the whole Estonia to be in the centre of attention of the world,
- Tallinn being the capital of the member country of the European Union,
Estonian towns: Haapsalu, Narva, Paide, Pärnu, Rakvere, Tartu, Viljandi, Võru and Tallinn decided to form an all round network of towns of culture at Tallinn Town Hall on 15th May 2009. The network stayed open for all Estonian towns.
Põlva, Elva, Otepää, joined and Jõhvi, Narva-Jõesuu, Sillamäe, Suure-Jaani, Tõrva and Türi were also willing to join.
We can see our chance and duties in order to
- Prepare already today to clearly acknowledge ourselves as towns of culture in Estonia as well as outside it.
- Make Estonia one of the most attractive travel destinations in Europe as to its cultural background by the year 2011.
- To attach Estonian towns on the map of the world culture longer than only for the year 2011.
- To encourage and promote cultural communication between Estonian towns.
- To find and spread the conception of differences and concurrent cultural similarities between Estonian towns.
- To consider any disturbing points that interferes with and disturbs the network and finds ways to solve them.
- To carry out the initiative right given to municipalities and their associations in the European Union.
Tallinn – the European capital of culture!
Estonian towns – the European towns of culture!
Tallinn, Tomas Vitsut, Chairman of Tallinn City Council
Sillamäe, Ain Kiviorg, Chairman of Sillamäe City Council
Tallinn, 15th May 2010