eleusis 2021 | european capital of culture

Eleusis claimed and won the European Capital of Culture 2021 title. Share our city's vision for the "Transition to EUphoria", by connecting with us! -The candidacy- Our mission is to cultivate the fertile land of Eleusis the seed of creativity, innovation and knowledge. Our goal is to cultivate here the most original ideas, the most innovative actions, highlighting Eleusis as European Capital of Culture in 2021 and placing it on the map of creative cities across Europe. -The city- Eleusis, a town with a population of 30,000 inhabitants and 20 km from Athens, is known for its ancient and modern industrial history. In ancient times it has been for 2000 years (eg 1600 -400 AD), one of the five sacred cities with the Eleusinian Mysteries to attract pilgrims from all over the known world. The citys name becomes greater thanks to the great tragic poet Aeschylus. -The concept- The creation of Eleusis, a laboratory arising from the link of Eleusis with Europe, constitutes the central concept of our programme. Eleusis and Europe meet at eu which, transcribed in greek, signifies the good in the deeper sense of the term. It describes the difference between good luck and happiness (eutyxia); between elation and eu-phoria. It signals the ability of goodness to fertilize the environment, develop and transform it, in the same way that art and culture transform and diversify the world. In essence, eu is the cellular element of art and culture. At this point in time, both Eleusis and Europe, face the challenge of reinstating the concept of eu in daily life and define a new model for sustainable development. Positioning arts and culture at the centre of all human activities, Eleusis cultivates the seed of Transition to a new era of prosperity, the era of EUphoria.