1675728925 origin 1

Elefsina, the Greek European capital of culture, launches its celebrations

origin 1People watch a performance during the inauguration ceremony of the European Capital of Culture in the town of Elefsina, west of Athens, Greece. ©Yorgos Karahalis

The Greek port city of Elefsina is one of the European Capitals of Culture for 2023.

Known as Eleusis in Ancient Greek, the city kicked off its first day of festivities on February 4.

Its program is inspired by the rich history of Elefsina, focusing on the theme “Mysteries of the transition”. Throughout the year, 192 Greek artists and 137 international artists will organize a variety of cultural events.

However, due to urgent measures due to bad weather, the second day of events, scheduled for February 5, has been postponed.

Other European Capitals of Culture for 2023 include Timisoara in Romania and Veszprem in Hungary.

With a population of around 30,000 and located about 20 kilometers west of Athens, Elefsina is the smallest and oldest European capital of culture to date. The initiative was first launched in 1985 by the European Commission.

Watch the video in the player above.