This Tuesday, 25 November, the Évora 2027 Association presented the current status of Évora_27 to the European Commission’s expert panel, addressing the recommendations set out in the Second Monitoring Report, released at the end of July 2025. During the meeting, the management team led by Maria do Céu Ramos demonstrated the progress made in several areas, namely: preparation of the artistic programme; European dimension and international partnerships; involvement of sectors of society; financing; monitoring; and legacy.

“We came to see how far Évora_27 has progressed over these past few months, and we were reassured to find solid work and a clearly enthusiastic team. We also recognise that Évora_27 is working with a long-term vision, in line with the purpose of the European Capitals of Culture. Some of the projects are truly ambitious, and I particularly appreciate the concept of VAGAR. I am confident that you will fully deliver this work — that is clear. Bravo!” said Marie Imbert, representative of the European Commission and Coordinator of the European Capitals of Culture Initiative.

The expert panel also included specialists João Seixas and Matthias Ripp. “It was a pleasure to visit the city of Évora and meet the team that is materialising and implementing the European Capital of Culture 2027. After today, we are fully confident that it will go well, that it will be an extraordinary year for the city and for the years that follow,” highlighted João Seixas.

“It was truly fantastic to have a first contact with the project and to meet the whole team. I felt very warmly welcomed in the city and now have a much clearer understanding of the work that Évora_27 is carrying out and of the projects of the European Capital of Culture,” said Matthias Ripp at the end of the meeting.

For Maria do Céu Ramos, President of the Évora 2027 Association, the visit from the European Commission represents much more than a technical assessment: it is a sign of confidence in the path that Évora_27 is building. “We presented with transparency and determination the progress made over the past year. We leave this meeting with a reinforced conviction that we are on the right track. Évora_27 is now in a new phase, one that requires everyone’s energy, talent, and collaboration. We have no doubt that the experts return to Brussels with a clear and strengthened understanding of the progress we have made and of the ambition that drives us towards 2027.”

The Mayor of Évora, Carlos Zorrinho, on this occasion, stated to the European Commission his commitment — as well as that of his team and the Municipal Services — to the success of Évora_27 – European Capital of Culture. “I trust that this evaluation visit marks a new stage in our shared path. The Municipality and the Évora 2027 Association are fully aligned and coordinated to bring this project to fruition, and we count on the Government to complete the necessary institutional triangle. We are prepared, we have listened to the recommendations, and we will activate every mechanism at our disposal.” Carlos Zorrinho spoke at the end of the visit, which concluded in the Noble Hall of the Town Hall, during the commemorative session of the 39th anniversary of the classification of Évora’s Historic Centre as UNESCO World Heritage.

The expert commission also took part in a working session with several project leaders involved in Évora_27 at the Salão Central Eborense, a venue that had been closed for 36 years, recently rehabilitated, and which will be one of the stages of Évora_27 – European Capital of Culture. The meeting offered direct contact with some of the ongoing projects and provided a privileged insight into the main pillars of the artistic programme.

For the Évora 2027 Association, the monitoring visit by the European Commission’s experts reinforces confidence in the path taken and motivates the continuation of responsible work aimed at delivering a participatory, transformative European Capital of Culture with lasting impact in Évora, the Alentejo, and Portugal.