Pécs - The Borderless City

Pécs is the city of regionalism

There is no other Hungarian city whose name is more closely tied to the idea of regionalism and decentralisation than the city of Pécs. Ever since the Roman age the city of Pécs has fulfilled the role of a regional centre in the course of centuries and today it is the most important economic, cultural and intellectual centre of the South Transdanubian region. The natural and cultural attractions to be found in an around Pécs perfectly complement the city's true potentials. The thermal spa in Harkány, the dripstone cave in Abaliget, the lakes in Orfű that are a paradise for anglers and beach lovers, the hiking routes of the Mecsek Hills, the wine regions of Szekszárd and Villány and the unforgettable atmosphere of the Busho procession in Mohács all make the region extremely attractive.

Beyond all that, the Pécs2010 programme intends to establish a cultural region – under the name of the Southern Cultural Zone – that presents the special cultural experience of the broader region that is very different from that of the West and seeks to find a place and a mediating role for the city in a network of relations that span across national borders.
Regionalism is a bottom-up process, so it can create an opportunity to shape the image of the region and communicate it in accordance with its own identity and cultural composition that is very different from other regions. Through joining forces and becoming a special region based on common cultural values this part of Europe may become known all over the world.

The regional nature of the Pécs ECoC application (its extension within South Transdanubia and the inclusion of Szeged, a major city in Southern Hungary, as a distinguished partner city) becomes complete and gains a distinctly international character by including this zone of major cities from Trieste through Tuzla to Temesvár (Timisoara). The idea of "Think globally and act locally" may grow into a new concept here: into the notion of "Glocalism!"