Many Europeans have never heard of one of the largest cities of East German: Semnites. Currently, Semnites is the European capital of culture, which surprised many. From the loss of career loss to the immigration and aging of the population, the seminas faces many problems, until the right -wing extremism. As the capital of culture, the city is now trying to understand what their strengths are.
During the RTA regime, the Semnites were renamed as Carl-Marks-Stad. Currently, the city with a long industrial history has restored its old name. “Look at the invisible!” The goal is that Semnies have chosen the capital of culture.
What is the “capital of culture”? 40 years ago, in Greece, every year came the idea that a “European City City” was chosen. The initial goal was to protect the common cultural heritage, and the title was attributed to cities with a number of ancient cultures such as Athens, Paris, Amsterdam and Florence.
But in the 1990s Glasgow’s elections changed everything, now includes urban development, civic participation and cultural diversity. Cities with economic and social issues apply to the topic “capital of culture”, which aims to help start, supports the EU financial change process. In Italy, Nova was one of the 2025 winners with Slovenia and Gorisia.
Two of the more than a thousand Semnites volunteers are the capital of Sophie and Kathleen culture. “There are a lot of complainants,” Sophie says, “They say nothing will change. But precisely we have to intervene, yes, we have to change things. All the help.”
One -third of the Semnites people are over 60 years of age. Sophie is a volunteer in the “Dance Nebutos” program. Alexandra Takats is directing the “Group Generation” as a project manager. The organizers of the capital of the culture are trying to engage in the entire population, young and elderly people born in Semnits, and in another place: “We have many social cultural programs, which are the purpose of bringing residents close to the neighboring countries, so that the new people with diaspora can mix with the diaspora.
When we look at the environment, we cannot ignore the 2018 riots. At the time, Semnites appeared in headlines due to an incident, where the right -wing extremist crowd conquered the alien. Ultra-Right is still in the region,
Since the Semnites are seen as the Fortress of the AFD, the Eurostem Party has a strong number of followers and a critical approach to the capital of the culture of culture. Afti Municipal Advisor Ronnie Lich: “Semnites are a split city.” The ribbon is “not a part of the community and continues to talk about a” civil society “that people ask for. It is united and separated.”
The organizers of the capital of the culture have a different view. Pascal Anselmi, Skills Development Project Manager: “For me, we have serious civic participation in our surrounding areas. To move something, you have to move, not to change, and instead, realize that the city is yours.
This is the opinion of the sociologist of the Semnitz Technology University, Uulf Boman: “The capital city of Semnitz’s culture is clearly focused on social issues. This may bring about long -term changes to the long -term city through joint ventures.
One of the most important projects in the capital of culture is called “Pyro Vivo”, which can redesign their neighbors in accordance with festivals, social projects in garages and parks. The cultural formula for the Semnites is simple: approach people and find the culture in everyday life with them.
