Valletta celebrated its formal designation as a European Capital of Culture for 2018 this morning, as the third edition of the Imagine 18 event drew to a close.

The Maltese capital had been a candidate Capital of Culture until its status was made official by the Council of Ministers yesterday.

The Imagine 18 event is organised by the Valletta 2018 Foundation, and this year’s edition, held between 16 and 18 May, focused on the theme Valletta: Small City/Big Dreams.

The event included a conference, the first Imagine 18 Expo, and a range of cultural collaborations including local and foreign artists.

As he declared that Valletta officially shed its candidate status at the Grandmaster’s Palace this morning, Parliamentary Secretary for Culture José Herrera insisted that events connected to Valletta 2018 would not be politicised.

The new government’s choice of chairman for the Valletta 2018 Foundation, former Labour Party general secretary and election candidate Jason Micallef, had proven to be controversial due to concerns that it was a political appointment.

Mr Micallef, on his part, said that the foundation’s aim was to involve the public in a holistic manner, in a programme reflecting the values of the European Capital for Culture initiative, and that Valletta residents themselves would be at the centre of this.

He said that the city was blessed with talent and enthusiasm, including through its football club, feast and carnival enthusiasts and many more, and said that this should be central to the process.

Valletta will not be the only European Capital of Culture in 2018: the title will be shared with a Dutch city which still needs to be determined.

Since 2007, there has been more than one European Capital of Culture in any given year: this year’s capitals are Marseille and Košice.