GO! 2025 IMPACTS AND FUTURE CHALLENGES CONFERENCE

At the EPICenter, the European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation EGTC GO, in cooperation with GO! 2025, held a conference dedicated to the observed impacts and future challenges of the European Capital of Culture.

Opening remarks were delivered by:

• Paolo Petiziol, President of EGTC GO,

• Vesna Humar, State Secretary at the Government Office for Slovenians Abroad,

• Samo Turel, Mayor of Nova Gorica,

• mag. Mija Lorbek, Director of GO! 2025.

Central part of the session

The session focused on perspectives for the future, presented by:
• Prof. Guido Guerzoni (Bocconi University) – on the importance of impact evaluation,
• Giulio Selvazzo – on the Borderless Wireless platform,
• Prof. Salvatore Amaduzzi (University of Udine) – on tourism interpretation through GeoBigData, with emphasis on Gorizia and GO! 2025,
• Lorenzo De Sabbata (ISIG) – on the role of the community in defining impacts beyond numbers.

Key results presented by Mayor Samo Turel:

• official ECOC events welcomed more than 1,001,000 visitors,

• over 19,000 contributors participated,

• the GO! 2025 & Friends programme delivered more than 120 amateur and 400 commercial events, attracting a total of 500,000 visitors,

• in the Municipality of Nova Gorica, overnight stays increased between 14.7% (April) and 42.7% (July).

Continuation of the conference

The conference will continue on Thursday, 4 December, with the round table Heritage Without Borders – how to build a lasting impact beyond the ECOC year.

Photo: Jernej Humar