XXXIX CICLO | Giovannelli Maria Chiara

Senior legal counsel with more than ten-year of experience in contracts and negotiation in international field, decided to put my skills and knowledge in the ambitious research project that will lead Viterbo to propose its candidacy to the European Capital of Culture initiative. My research interests are focused on European policy, cultural development strategies and sustainability.

The European Capitals of Culture initiative, established in 1985 thanks to the then Minister of Culture of the Greek government, Melina Mercouri, aims to enhance the richness and diversity of cultures in Europe, to increase European citizens’ sense of belonging to a common cultural area and to promote the contribution of culture to the development of cities. The title of European Capital of Culture, which has been awarded to more than 60 (sixty) European cities to date, is awarded not only on the basis of the intrinsic characteristics of the candidate cities, but primarily on the basis of the programme to be implemented during the selection year and beyond. This European initiative, in fact, aims to initiate a virtuous process of redevelopment of existing cultural processes and of the city’s entire cultural production network over the long term in order to achieve a culture-driven development of the territory. Viterbo, which has a great cultural tradition, such as, the largest medieval centre in Europe and Etruscan and Roman archaeological sites scattered throughout its territory, has been considered by the municipal administration, with a Resolution of the Municipal Council of 7 February 2023, to be suitable to present its candidature as European Capital of Culture in the year in which Italy, together with the Netherlands, has been indicated as the country representing the European initiative.