ROTTERDAM, 27/01/01 - Rotterdam 2001, Cultural Capital of Europe got off to an official start on Friday night with an evening's entertainment in De Doelen in the presence of Queen Beatrix and the president of Portugal J. Sampaio. Rotterdam shares the title of cultural capital with fellow port city Porto.

The Rotterdam Men's Choir received the queen in the hall of De Doelen with a song. In addition, the official tune was presented, which was composed for the cultural year by two students of the Rotterdam Academy of Music.

Paul Nouwen, chairman of Rotterdam 2001, said in his speech that the city will this year present itself as "A breeding place for the latest developments in art, architecture and multiculture". Mayor I. Opstelten of Rotterdam described the ports of his city and of Porto as a "unique stage for the cultural capital".

The Rotterdam 2001 program consists of 333 sections. The cultural year was unofficially opened on January 1 with a program for the homeless. Various projects are already on display, such as Going Dutch in which companies project a piece of art from their collection onto their facade.