Marseille became the European Capital of Culture for the year 2013

Marseille - The French city of Marseille officially became the European Capital of Culture for 2013 today. According to AFP, the opening ceremony was attended by European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, alongside French officials.
     From this evening until the end of the year, hundreds of cultural events will take place in Marseille and surrounding towns, with the main theme being the Mediterranean. "Culture can strengthen a sense of belonging and solidarity, which is more needed in Europe than ever," Barroso declared.
     Officials and residents of this second-largest city in France, home to around 1.6 million people, hope that the title of Cultural City of the Year will improve Marseille's reputation, which in recent years has been marred by violence associated with drug trafficking and plagued by high unemployment.
     The second European Capital of Culture this year, as previously decided by Brussels, is the Slovak city of Košice, alongside Marseille.
     According to Brussels, this honorary title is one of the ways to attract visitors to a specific city. In addition to the influx of tourists and investments, awarding the title is intended to be one of the ways to raise awareness of these cities among people across the European Union.