The institution SZCZECIN 2016 has presented the strategic priorities of the Szczecin application as part of its efforts to be awarded the title of European Capital of Culture 2016.

While discussing the history of the project, the directors of SZCZECIN 2016 - Marek Sztark and his deputy Dana Jesswein -recalled that this project arose at grass-roots level as a civic initiative, the Godmother of which is Anna Suchocka, a well-known cultural animator from Szczecin. They emphasised that work on the application has been proceeding as planned since autumn last year, when a strategy and a schedule was prepared. The SZCZECIN 2016 team carried out a thorough, difficult and reliable analysis of the condition of Szczecin culture.

Priorities
While presenting six priorities, Marek Sztarkstressed that it is a list of proposals to be discussed. These are the priorities:

"Szczecin: redefinition" - Szczecin needs a fresh, daring definition and Europe needs a fresh, daring Szczecin.

"Sewing Europe together" – the transborder role of Szczecin as a European cultural bond.

"Culture migrations"– the multiculturalism of Szczecin

"Flows, waves, streams” - Is there something that distinguishes waterside cities? How do they use their location?

"Underground culture – sky-high culture" – overcoming barriers between the underground pole and the ambitious culture pole

"What is this? Poland" - A task of Szczecin is to show Poland to Europe; which phenomena and persons from our country will be interesting to Europe?

“Thanks to the project Szczecin ECC 2016,our city has a chance to find its identity, its place in Poland and Europe” – stressed Mayor Piotr Krzystek during the meeting. “A great advantage of this project is its deeply-rooted social aspect. The approval of this project in the city is very important. For Szczecin a crucial element of our activities is its transborder nature, because if it is defined and used well, we can achieve a success. A good idea and direction” – so the Mayor of Szczecin summed up the work of SZCZECIN 2016, and the priorities presented.

The approval of the Szczecin project was also expressed by the representatives of border German cities Schwedt, Greifswald, and Berlin. They emphasised the great role Szczecin plays in the transborder region; stressing that Szczecin’s applying for the title of European Capital of Culture 2016 will bring a lot of benefits to the whole of region. According to the German guests, the opening of borders a few years ago provided new value for Polish and German projects regarding culture.