06/01/2026 (Agence Europe) – On Tuesday 6 January, the European Commission announced the designation of Oulu in Finland and Trenčín in Slovakia as European Capitals of Culture for 2026. The two cities will be staging events, exhibitions and shows to showcase cultural diversity. Oulu will be crowned from 16 to 18 January 2026. Its programme, which is based on the theme of ‘Cultural Climate Change’, addresses resilience in the face of environmental crises and the role of culture in raising awareness of this type of global issue. Trenčín will open its cultural year from 13 to 15 February 2026 with the theme ‘Curiosity’, with the aim of building bridges “between people, between past and future, and between imagination and reality”. In recognition of the quality of their preparations, the European Commission awarded the two cities the Melina Mercouri Prize, worth €1.5 million, as part of the Creative Europe programme. (NP)