With her, we are now complete for Tuesday: The Mayor of Chemnitz, Barbara Ludwig, is the initiator of the application – and is convinced that Chemnitz is developing from a city in Europe to a European city by becoming aware of its own strengths, its qualities as a doer and its creative potential. That is why she stands not only for the broad political and administrative support of the application, but also for the embedding of Chemnitz2025 in an overall urban strategy until 2040, in which culture sets the agenda. As Saxony’s Minister of State for Science and Art (2004-2006), she actively accompanied Görlitz’s candidacy for European Capital of Culture 2010.