Matera nominated Mediterranean Capital of Culture and Dialogue for 2026
It is with great satisfaction that the Municipality of Matera and the Matera Basilicata 2019 Foundation anticipate the news of the nomination of the city of Matera as Mediterranean Capital of Culture and Dialogue for 2026. The official announcement was made in the joint declaration of the co-chairs of the 9th Regional Forum of the Union for the Mediterranean, held in Barcelona last Monday 28 October.
To know the details and programmes that will characterise this new year as Capital, after the city's nomination as European Capital of Culture 2019, we will have to wait until 28 November, when, on Mediterranean Day, Matera's cultural programme and next steps will be unveiled.
Together with Matera, the Moroccan city of Tetouan will also hold the title of Mediterranean Capital of Culture and Dialogue for 2026. The choice of two cities, one north and one south of the Mediterranean, reflects the Union for the Mediterranean's intention to promote cooperation and intercultural dialogue between the shores of the basin, highlighting the region's common cultural and historical heritage. This dual nomination allows the differences and similarities that enrich the Mediterranean to be highlighted, building bridges between different peoples and cultures.
Matera's candidature, promoted by the Municipality with the support of the Matera Basilicata 2019 Foundation, is the result of the participation in the call for Mediterranean Capitals of Culture and Dialogue 2026, promoted by the Union for the Mediterranean and the Anna Lindh Foundation, two bodies committed to the promotion of intercultural dialogue in the Euro-Mediterranean region.
For 2026, Matera will develop the “Terre Immerse” cultural programme, a project that, inspired by the deep historical and cultural connections of the Mediterranean, celebrates the city's heritage of inclusiveness and dialogue. The programme will feature cultural events involving schools, universities and artistic partners from the Euro-Mediterranean region, promoting the city's role as a centre of dialogue and cooperation.
