VALLETTA, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Malta's capital city Valletta was officially named European Capital of Culture for 2018 on Saturday, a title it will be sharing with Leeuwarden in the Netherlands.
Addressing the festivities' opening ceremony held at the Mediterranean Conference Centre, Valletta 2018 Foundation chairman Jason Micallef described the occasion as a "dream which is now a reality".
Malta's President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca stressed that the title would serve as a reminder of the underlying importance of culture in bridging differences and strengthening friendships.
"When we acknowledge, respect and value our diverse cultures, we make a real investment in the essential strategies for social inclusion, solidarity and peace," Coleiro Preca said.
On his part, Malta's Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said the year's celebrations would not attempt to create a false image of Maltese identity.
"We will show exactly what we are, how we lived in the past, and how we live our everyday lives," said Muscat, adding that through its celebrations, Valletta would show itself to be a contemporary city based on the foundations of the past. "The Maltese feast will be marked by authenticity."
European Commissioner Tibor Navracsics spoke of the opportunity of safeguarding and promoting Europe's cultural diversity through the title, underlining how culture contributed to the continent's society and its economy.
In this year,some 1,000 local and international artists and performers, curators, designers, choirs, filmmakers and artist collectives will be involved in the Valletta 2018 Foundation's cultural programme, which includes more than 140 projects and 400 events spread across the Maltese islands.
The Capital of Culture crown, introduced in 1985, has been awarded to 58 cities so far.
