Cahul is the only town in Moldova competing for "European Capital of Culture 2033"
The municipality of Cahul is the only locality in the country to have submitted a bid to represent the Republic of Moldova in the competition for the title of "European Capital of Culture 2033." With the submission period now closed, an independent jury will evaluate Cahul’s bid.
According to the Ministry of Culture, the jury will evaluate the submitted bid and announce the score within one month, in accordance with the deadlines, criteria, and procedures established by Government decision.
"Cahul is the only town to have submitted a bid! This demonstrates our vision and potential! I thank the team I worked with to prepare the bid! We await the commission's evaluation of the dossier," reacted Nicolae Dandiș, mayor of Cahul, on Facebook.
The competition aims to select a city capable of developing a European-dimensioned cultural program—one that leverages cultural diversity, fosters international cooperation, and contributes to the sustainable development of the cultural sector in the Republic of Moldova.
The national selection process consists of two stages: the evaluation of bids and the public presentation of cultural projects before an independent jury. The selected town will represent the Republic of Moldova in the European-level selection process for the title of "European Capital of Culture 2033."
The Ministry of Culture launched the competition in August through the National Office for Cultural Development. Authorities said any locality could participate, provided it presented a clear cultural vision, a feasible program, and initiatives with long-term community impact.
Securing the title of "European Capital of Culture" brings significant benefits to winning localities. For example, the city of Tartu in Estonia, which held the title of "European Capital of Culture" in 2024, attracted over a million visitors and hosted more than a thousand cultural events.
The program, supported by a 26 million euro budget, helped develop the local economy and increased the city's international visibility.
