The British city of Liverpool has been chosen as the European Capital of Culture for 2008. This was announced by the UK Minister for Culture, Media and Sport, Tessa Jowell. Liverpool beat five other British cities in the competition for the right to be called the European Capital of Culture - Bristol, Birmingham, Cardiff, Newcastle and Oxford. The European Union programme for selecting the European Capital of Culture replaced the earlier practice of choosing a European City of Culture.
In 2005, the first European Capital of Culture will be Cork, Ireland; in 2006, it will be Patras, Greece; and in 2007, it will be the city of Luxembourg, the capital of the eponymous state.
The title of cultural capital will allow the chosen cities to attract more tourists, increase investment and create new jobs for their residents, as well as to introduce the European and world public more widely to their cultural, technical and historical heritage. In particular, Liverpool plans to renovate and repair its port, which is one of the sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and the Tate Liverpool gallery. In addition, many tourists will certainly be attracted by the places in Liverpool associated with the life and work of the Beatles.