Leuven has been designated European Capital of Culture for 2030.
The announcement was made on Wednesday afternoon at the Royal Library of Belgium in Brussels. Namur and the Brussels municipality of Molenbeek-Saint-Jean were not selected.
In 2030, it will be Belgium's turn to host a European Capital of Culture, an honour that rotates among EU member states. After Antwerp and Mons, Leuven will take on the prestigious role for one year.
In 2030, Belgium will share the title with Cyprus, as two countries are designated in advance to propose a candidate city each.
It will be the fifth time Belgium has hosted a European Capital of Culture, following Antwerp in 1993, Brussels in 2000, Bruges in 2002 and Mons in 2015.
Over the years, the initiative has become one of the EU's leading cultural projects, designed to highlight the richness, diversity and commonalities of European cultures while strengthening mutual understanding among EU citizens.
