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RAG-Stiftung
Rüttenscheider Straße 1-3
D-45128 Essen
RUHR.2010
Within the scope of Essen’s initial application for the title of European Capital of Culture – representative of the Ruhr area – the RAG Group had successfully advocated this goal even prior to the establishment of the RAG Foundation. The area’s nomination as “European Capital of Culture for 2010” then offered the unique opportunity to present the Ruhr area, its history and the challenges of managing structural changes. The projects and programmes during the Capital of Culture year showed many references and connections to the mining industry. Pursuant to its statutes, the RAG Foundation thus provided appropriate financial support for RUHR.2010.
- A car free A40
The world heritage site Zeche Zollverein (Zollverein colliery) and its adjacent former cokery were used as central starting point for many activities and as special landmark for the Capital of Culture year. Here, the history of mining, its influence on the industrial culture as well as the challenges of shaping change became apparent. For this reason, at the beginning of the Capital of Culture year, RUHR.2010 and the RAG Foundation documented their partnership at this traditional mining site.
The RAG Foundation financially supported the one-year-project European Capital of Culture RUHR.2010 throughout its duration, starting with the opening event at the Zollverein colliery at the beginning of January 2010 right up to individual projects in the course of the year. The RAG Foundation was also involved in the financing of the closing event, which took place on 18 December 2010 on site of the former Nordstern colliery.