12/12/2025 (Agence Europe) – On Friday, 12 December, the European Commission announced that the city of Larnaka, [located] in Cyprus, had been put forward to become a 2030 European Capital of Culture. It thus joins Leuven (Belgium) and Nikšić (Montenegro) in holding this title, which may be accompanied by a €1.5 million prize funded by the Creative Europe programme to reward the quality of their preparations. According to an evaluation published by the European Commission in October, the initiative is producing a lasting positive impact and developing [the cities’] attractiveness [to visitors], cultural offering, investments, and social inclusion. On average, the number of visitors to the selected cities increased 30% to 40% between 2013 and 2022. Offering a cultural programme built around “anthropia”—the fundamental principle of humanity—Larnaka is the second Cypriot city to receive this title after Paphos in 2017. More information: https://aeur.eu/f/jyh (NP)