Congratulations are extended to Rhodes for being pre-selected for the title European Capital of Culture. IGCAT experts visited Rhodes (Greece) on twice to give their advise and expertise by leading intensive workshops. The experts worked extensively with the Rhodes 2021 bid team and public authorities, NGO’s and the university in support of Rhodes’ bid. The workshops were led by Dr. Diane Dodd and accompanied by Mary Miller (former Artistic Director of Stavanger) and Robert Palmer (former Director of Glasgow 1995 and Brussels 2000).
In the final visit, Robert Palmer and Diane Dodd gave recommendations on how to prepare a winning presentation for the jury. The Rhodes 2021 bid team is led by Aliki Moschis who has a strong commitment to developing dialogue with the Middle East. The bid aims to use the arts and culture to search for human solutions to difficult questions such as the refugee crisis, the brain drain of young people, growing societal divides and sustainable tourism. Rhodes’ bid has a very strong European dimension as it aims to use its geographical and historically strong relations with the Middle East to support a dialogue between the two continents.
Robert Palmer, Mary Miller and Diane Dodd were impressed with the team’s very extensive public consultation that actively involved nearly 200 non-governmental organisations. “the energy and commitment that Rhodes put in to building consensus and involving local people in the bidding process has been exemplary” said Diane Dodd at the close of the training.
Rhodes’ bid is titled ‘Journey to the Light’, referring to the way we develop as people as we journey and learn from others. The programme looks at some of Europe’s difficult questions from the refugee crisis to the economic crisis and promises to hold many opportunities to surprise and unite Europe through a ‘Social Erasmus’ concept.
IGCAT experts carry our capacity building training for cities and regions using a method of service-learning. They also have a growing pool of experts that have vast experience in supporting transformation on cities and regions.