From 15 to 17 October 2025, Amsterdam is hosting the 14th World Cities Culture Summit, bringing together an international network of cities committed to culture as a driving force behind urban development. On Tuesday 14 October, Pakhuis de Zwijger was proud to host a special gathering of 18 European cities to unite and advance culture and innovation, as part of the Summit’s programme.
We welcomed Deputy Mayors for Arts & Culture and senior cultural policymakers from across Europe, including representatives from cities such as London, Berlin, Paris, Milan and Amsterdam.
The event opened with keynotes from Justine Simons (Chair and founder WCCF), Touria Meliani (Deputy Mayor for arts and culture) and Glenn Micallef (EU Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport), followed by a roundtable chaired by Kirsten van den Hul, Director of DutchCulture. Our director, Annick Mantoua, shared a warm welcome to all guests. In recent years, we’ve expanded our focus beyond the city and the country to include Europe, building new collaborations such as with EIT Culture & Creativity, the European Commission and the European Parliament. At the same time, we are increasingly connecting with partners and initiatives from around the world, because many challenges we face are global and so are the solutions.
“We are proud to host this event today, which we see as a symbolic milestone for future European and international collaboration. In a world facing complex challenges, working together and strengthening each other across borders is essential.”
– Annick Mantoua.
The summit featured key speakers like Justine Simons Obe, Laia Gasch, Glenn Micaleff, Touria Meliani, Araf Ahmadali, Kirsten van den Hul and Anette Schaefer. Alongside with contributions from organisations such as World Cities Culture Forum (WCCF), Eurocities, European Cultural Foundation, DutchCulture and EIT Culture & Creativity.
During the Summit, participants took part in panels, workshops and city tours addressing pressing urban challenges such as climate change, social inequality and digital innovation. The sessions offered opportunities to share best practices, exchange ideas and explore new approaches for creating more sustainable, inclusive and resilient cities. The summit also coincided with Amsterdam’s 750th anniversary, highlighting the city’s vibrant cultural life and ongoing commitment to accessible and forward-looking cultural policies.
Pakhuis de Zwijger is proud to have hosted this special gathering and to contribute to conversations that explore how culture can shape more sustainable, equitable and connected cities across Europe and beyond.
For more information about the Summit, visit worldcitiescultureforum.com.
