The Minister for Culture in Rouen

The Minister for Culture emphasised the unique nature of Rouen's bid and that of the Normandy Seine.

Rima Abdul Malak, Minister for Culture, visited Rouen to take a close look at its bid to become European Capital of Culture. She was received by Mayor Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol and the Rouen Seine Normande 2028 team. The visit was part of a tour of the various candidate cities, with the aim of understanding the specific features of each one.

The Minister was able to appreciate the different sites in the city, from the viewpoint of the Côte Sainte-Catherine and the central place of the Seine in the landscape and in the bid. Rebecca Armstrong, from the Rouen Seine Normande 2028 association, said: “The Seine is in a way the artistic director of our bid, delivering a message of living together.

For Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol, the bid aims to be an inclusive project covering artistic, scientific, environmental and economic issues. “It’s a collective drive to offer more and better for everyone,” he added.

During the visit, Rima Abdul Malak shared her impressions, praising the uniqueness of Rouen’s bid. She also pointed out that the final decision will be taken by an independent jury. “I can’t influence the jury, unfortunately,” she said.

The final decision will be announced in December.