On Wednesday, 28^th of October, the German winner of the European Capital of Culture 2025 title competition will be announced. In a recently released greeting, the mayor of Tartu, a European Capital of Culture in 2024, Urmas Klaas wished good luck to the five cities that have reached the final round of the competition and confirmed readiness for future cooperation.

In the beginning of September, Viljandi was host to Tartu 2024 official programme for the first time. Pärimusmuusika Ait, the Traditional Music Center, accommodated the VII Kultuurikompass Forum, a recurring main event of the Tartu 2024 capacity building programme. This time, cultural managers from around Estonia discussed the physical and the geographical accessibility of culture, the challenges and the solutions.

Last week, the Tartu 2024 team met with the European Capital of Culture expert commission to give an overview of the state of the preparation work that has begun in Tartu and Southern Estonia. The international commission examined Tartu 2024 activities, events that have taken place and plans for the following years. Prior to 2024, two similar meetings will take place and if they go successfully, the Capital of Culture will be awarded the Melina Mercouri prize worth 1.5 million Euros.