World Cities Culture Summit – European Cities Unite: Culture in a Changing World

Talk

European Cities Unite: Culture in a Changing World brings together European city leaders, policymakers, and cultural practitioners in Amsterdam to explore how culture can strengthen democracy, belonging, and resilience in an era of rapid change.

Organised by

European Cultural Foundation

Location

Pakhuis de Zwijger

Address

Piet Heinkade 179, 1019 HC Amsterdam

As Amsterdam celebrates its 750th anniversary, European Cities Unite: Culture in a Changing World brings together cultural leaders and policymakers from across Europe to discuss the role of culture in shaping democratic, connected cities. The event, co-hosted by the European Cultural Foundation, Eurocities, and EIT Culture & Creativity, forms part of the 14th World Cities Culture Summit and highlights culture’s power to foster trust, participation, and shared futures.

As Amsterdam marks its 750th anniversary, the city is hosting the 14th World Cities Culture Summit (15–17 October 2025). Ahead of this Summit, Amsterdam joins forces with the European Cultural Foundation (ECF), Eurocities, and EIT Culture & Creativity to present a European Day, European Cities Unite: Culture in a Changing World, at Pakhuis de Zwijger.

The gathering brings together European Commissioner for Culture Glenn Micallef, around 60 Deputy Mayors for Culture, senior policymakers, and cultural leaders from across Europe. It is a rare chance for cities and networks to share perspectives on the challenges they face and to explore new ways of working together.

Within the Summit programme itself, under the theme Stronger Together: Culture in a Changing World, ECF contributes to the session, What if… culture safeguarded democracy’s future? This discussion asks whether culture can act as a pillar of democratic infrastructure, with civic spaces – both physical and digital – deepening participation, dialogue, and belonging.

As part of the Summit, ECF and our partners at Domo are also hosting an invitation-only edition of Domo Talks: Cities that Connect at Amsterdam’s new Home for International Cultural Collaboration. In the face of polarisation and shrinking cultural budgets, this conversation focuses on how cultural spaces and city leaders can strengthen belonging, civic trust, and resilience. Libraries, storytelling houses, and community hubs are not just venues; they are living rooms of the city where people create shared futures together.

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