SLOVAKIA-CULTURE-KOSICE2013

People walk in front of most famous landmark, the14th century St. Elisabeth Cathedral in Kosice on January 17, 2013. Eastern Slovakia's heavy industry hub Kosice is hoping to reinvent itself as a culture and creativity centre while it starts its year as the 2013 European Capital of Culture. Two-day opening ceremony featuring fireworks and gigs of world-famous and local artists this weekend will kick off a year of Kosice's transformation while giving a nod to its past. The European Union awards the title of the European Capital of Culture since 1985, usually to two cities a year to raise their international visibility. This year a French port city of Marseille was chosen along with Kosice. AFP PHOTO/SAMUEL KUBANI (Photo credit should read SAMUEL KUBANI/AFP via Getty Images)