Street in Riga to be named after Swedish city

RIGA - Today, the Riga City Council's Development Committee supported a proposal to name a street in Riga after the Swedish city of Umea.

The street will be located between Eksporta Street and Katrinas Dambis (Causeway) and will most likely be unveiled sometime this year. The final decision must still be made by the Riga City Council.

Rigaand Umea will share the title “European Capital of Culture” in 2014, with bilateral cultural projects taking place between the two cities.

The aim of the European Culture Capital program is to promote the international recognition of European cities, positively influence the development of culture and tourism, stimulate artistic cooperation between European countries, and strengthen regional identity and European integration.

Since the enlargement of the European Union, this honor has been awarded every year to two cities, each from a different country. 25 years of experience has shown that cities who hold the title see a rise in economic activity along with the increase in cultural events. This is especially true in the creative industries, service industries and tourism.