Europe’s cultural achievements, activities and institutions are to be found in its cities and regions. This means that the cities and regions share a direct responsibility for Europe, above and beyond their local and regional competences.

The project is working with a group of interested cities and regions to explore how their cultural achievements can create “A Soul for Europe” and what practical contribution they can make as European players. Together with international partners, the “A Soul for Europe” Initiative has developed a manual that is meant to serve cultural actors as well as city and regional developers in the practical implementation of this European task.

The manual Cities & Regions presents best practice examples from various European cities and regions in six areas of cultural practise, in which the initiative sees particular potential for Europe:

•     Outstanding Cultural Performance
•     “Lieux de Mémoire” – Europe’s Memory
•     Cultural Diversity and Integration
•     Conversion – Using Culture to Effect Transformations
•     Cross-border Regions
•     European Cultural Heritage

The manual suggests that a special label is awarded to those cities and regions which have developed a particularly striking cultural profile in one or more of the six categories.