Sonderborg 2017 - European Capital of Culture candidate

2017 -- A COMMON CAUSE
For decades South Jutland and Schleswig relied on agricultural produce and industrial production for their livelihood; this is, however, no longer a viable option for the region. Production can be run at a lower cost elsewhere, and new technologies enable farms to do the work with fewer people.
South Jutland and Schleswig are in the same boat: two peripheral areas with declining industries amidst two power centres, Hamburg-Berlin and Copenhagen-Aarhus.
So for Denmark to be designated host country for the European Capital of Culture 2017 represents a fantastic opportunity for Sonderborg in South Jutland-Schleswig.
Basically, the Capital of Culture Programme may be seen as a city and regional development programme. It is all about setting up sustainable cultural activities created by and for urban and regional residents, reaching beyond the year of Capital of Culture.
Sonderborg welcomes this unique opportunity for four South Jutland municipalities to engage with Flensburg city and two districts in old Schleswig, Kreis Nordfriesland and Kreis Schleswig-Flensburg, in a whole-hearted effort to design a Capital of Culture Programme for the benefit of the social communities, economy and culture of the entire border region.