Plovdiv is Bulgaria's candidate for European Capital of Culture 2019. This was announced by an international jury composed of seven European and six Bulgarian experts. The other contenders from Bulgaria were Varna, Veliko Tarnovo, Sofia and the Southwest region. Two countries participate in European capital of culture in 2019 - Bulgaria and Italy. In Italy, the winner city will be known in October. The initiative will help the two culture capitals build strong partnership in the cultural sphere. The initiative, launched in 1985, has helped enrich the cultural life of more than 50 cities in Europe. After the jury announced its nomination for the Bulgarian city the proposal would go to European institutions, which must adopt the decision at a meeting of the EU Council in May 2015