A piece of European Capital of Culture in Kassel's Fridericianum Museum of Art
Photo: Harry Soremski
March 28, 2010
The European City Charter, which RUHR.2010 is writing together with eleven former German candidate cities, has started on its travels. It was collected from Görlitz on March 2 by the city of Kassel, and Kassel handed it over to Münster on March 27.
The host, Mayor Hilgen, took the opportunity to emphasise that the former candidate cities were no longer adversaries and had instead become partners within the "National Heroes - German Cultural Cities" network: "Rather than competing with one another we are now complementing one another." Hilgen also described the positive long-term effects that Kassel’s candidacy to become European Capital of Culture had left behind: many cases of collaboration have arisen, and there is also stronger adhesion between the city’s cultural institutions. "The creation of cohesion is", he said, "currently one of the major tasks which the cities need to fulfil."
On the same day, incidentally, it was possible to witness two projects in Kassel that are constituent parts of the RUHR.2010 programme: the exhibition by Thomas Zipp "(WHITE REFORMATION CO-OP) MENS SANA IN CORPORE SANO" opened on March 13 and, until June 13, will continue to provide visitors with an unusual insight into a "psychiatric institution"; and in the evening Kassel also played host to the "Magic of the Night", inviting the children of Kassel to experience and witness culture in seven of the city's museums.
Münster's Mayoress Reismann, head of culture Hanke and cultural office superintendant Schnell had travelled from Münster in order to receive the European City Charter. Reismann announced the advent of Münster's "Cultural Zone 2010", a project encompassing around 200 events. At its opening - scheduled for April 16 - the European City Charter will be handed on from Münster to Halle an der Saale.