Snapshot from the visit of Mr. Shuji Kogi, Secretary General of EU-Japan Fest Committee, in Eleusis (1-5.05.2019) within the framework of collaboration of the EU-Japan Fest organization with Eleusis 2021 European Capital of Culture. During his fifth consecutive visit – since the designation of Eleusis, he had meetings with members of management and the project team of Eleusis 2021, he spoke with artists, young people, walked through the city participating in EUphoria walk (05.05.2019) and visited two exhibitions within the framework of the action “The Kazantzakis Museum travels to Eleusis”.
Mr. Shuji Kogi stated that although the cities he cooperates with, are not his personal choice, he finds that Eleusis is a unique Greek city selected unanimously by the European Commission as the European Capital of Culture 2021. Eleusis is considered a miniature version of Europe, not only for the ancient past, as part of a culture that gave birth to democracy and philosophy, with global influence, but especially for the current challenges such as the migration and the refugee flows.
A few words about the EU-Japan Fest
The EU-Japan Fest Organization since its foundation in 1992 has worked for the cultural exchange between the European Capitals of Culture and Japan, within the context of cultural programmes offered by the various ECoCs. This is a non-profit, non-governmental organization, which is managed and supported by prominent members of the business community of Japan and ambassadors of countries-members of the European Union in Japan.
During its 27 years of operation, the EU-Japan Fest has collaborated with 44 ECoC cities. The main aim of its actions is to facilitate the networking of ECoCs with artists, academics, groups etc representatives of modern Japanese culture – wherever they come from – and the financial support of both movements for the establishment of possible synergies as well as the projects’ presentation during an ECoC year.
Recognizing the value of long-term cooperation and the importance of transnational partnerships for the global sustainable development, the organization supports connection exchanges for many years after the year of each ECoC. In this direction, the organization recently presented the “Passport Programme” that allows the movement of up to 50 people from every direction (ECoC – Japan) after the end of the official programme of Cultural Capitals.
Mr. Kogi is scheduled to make the next stop of his European tour in Timisoara, “Sister City” of Eleusis 2021 Capital of Culture.
