Celebrated every September 27 around the world, the purpose of World Tourism Day at the European Council on Tourism and Trade is to foster awareness among the international community on the importance of tourism and its social, cultural, political, and economic value. Djibouti and Addis Ababa were selected as the host cities and nations for the celebration of World Tourism Day 2020 on the theme ‘Tourism: Building Peace! Fostering Knowledge! Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital, was elected by the European Council on Tourism and Trade as The World Capital of Culture and Tourism in January 2019.
European Capitals of Culture
The European Capitals of Culture initiative is designed to:
- Highlight the richness and diversity of cultures in Europe
- Celebrate the cultural features Europeans share
- Increase European citizens’ sense of belonging to a common cultural area
- Foster the contribution of culture to the development of cities
In addition to this, experience has shown that the event is an excellent opportunity for:
- Regenerating cities
- Raising the international profile of cities;
- Enhancing the image of cities in the eyes of their own inhabitants
- Breathing new life into a city’s culture
- Boosting tourism
The initiative was developed in 1985 and has, to date, been awarded to more than 50 cities across the European Union. The 2020 European Capitals of Culture are:
Due to the effects of the coronavirus crisis, the European Commission has extended the 2020 European Capitals of Culture designation of Rijeka (Croatia) and Galway (Ireland) until April 30, 2021.
