Marseille Provence 2013 in the Press

HOW THE INTERNATIONAL PRESS SEE MARSEILLE PROVENCE 2013

On the web, it is difficult to find articles from the international press focusing on Marseille Provence European Capital of Culture. The daily press in Germany, Italy, England or Spain doesn’t seem to take much care to this European event.

Moreover, when there are articles, we can notice that the point of view of the journalist is always oriented by its location. In Algeria, the angle is mainly Mediterranean, thinking of the economical and social consequences of such an event occurring in Marseille. Le Soir d’Algerie, for example, wonders how Algerian people will be able to be part of the event and how Algerian artists could be involved in this celebration http://www.pearltrees.com/#/N-fa=2134024&N-play=1&N-u=1_199300&N-f=1_4440585&N-s=1_4440585&N-p=36115172. In the US or in Germany, Marseille is often depicted as a drifting city looking for redemption and playing its last card. Both Wall Street Journal and Suddeutsche think that the main challenge of Marseille Provence is fighting against organized crime and gang killings, but with so light conviction.http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204903804577082232304035426.html?mod=wsj_share_tweet_bot http://www.sueddeutsche.de/kultur/marseille-als-kulturhauptstadt-zwischen-gewalt-und-sonnenschein-1.1272043

Reading these international articles, we are also astonished that the focus is always on Marseille and that no journalist think about Provence. If the name of this European Capital is Marseille Provence, Marseille seems to attract all the light and Provence no to represent anything more than the region where Marseille is. Through these journalists point of view the event seems to be more Mediterranean than Provence oriented. Reading Christopher Dickey’s article in the National Geographic, only the sun appears to be “Provençal”… http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2012/03/marseille/dickey-text. Though, we can wonder if the name Marseille Provence is to far away from what it really is or if Marseille Provence failed in showing the role and the economical, social and political benefits for the region.  http://ansamed.ansa.it/ansamed/it/notizie/rubriche/cultura/2012/01/25/visualizza_new.html_69254863.html