The “Melina Mercouri” prize will be awarded by the European Commission to the 2023 European Capital of Culture after the positive evaluation of the progress report, as stated in a relevant announcement.
The award, amounting to 1.5 million euros, comes as a culmination of “the enormous progress that has been made in recent months in all areas of administration of the institution, in order to ensure its successful implementation”, the European Commission typically states in its announcement. To add that “the transformation achieved by the 2023 Eleusis team is a true embodiment of the ‘Mysteries of Transition’.”
The evaluation committee closes its report by thanking the 2023 Eleusis European Capital of Culture for the extremely interesting and informative meeting with the implementation team and looks forward to the successful organization of the institution.
It is noted that the prize in question was established in 2010 in honor of the late Melina Merkouri and since then it has been awarded by the European Commission to every Capital of Culture that meets the criteria and successfully passes the control stages. The amount of the award is intended to finance the legacy of the institution.
Commenting on this positive development, the President of the Board of Directors, Mrs. Despina Geroulanou stated the following: “The awarding of the Melina Mercouris prize in Elefsina emphatically reflects and rewards the hard work of all contributors and especially the local community, in order Elefsina to be ready for the year of the title. It is the culmination of a collective effort that, despite the initial difficulties, will succeed in delivering a high-level cultural event, with a clear human-centered reference, that honors the vision of Melina Merkouri and places Elefsina at the center of the European cultural interest.”.
