(zaman) - The European Commission has approved a jury recommendation declaring Istanbul as the cultural capital of Europe for 2010, reports Trend.
In April, a seven-member jury recommended Istanbul as one of the cultural capitals of Europe for 2010 in a committee meeting held in Brussels along with the German city Essen and the Hungarian city Pec.
Istanbul, Turkey's largest city outpaced Kiev of Ukraine in the non-EU cities category with a decision taken by the jury, which consists of members from the European Parliament, the European Commission and the Council of Europe.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan gave full support to the decision, saying that it would contribute to the promotion of Istanbul as a world city.
"The rich cultural heritage of Istanbul will be enriched further," Erdogan said, adding that it was more meaningful as the concept of Alliance of Civilizations was currently on the world agenda. He also pledged that the government would grant the necessary assistance to prepare Istanbul for 2010.