|
Wijk aan Zee is a
small town on the coast of the North Sea in the
municipality of Beverwijk in the province of
North Holland of the Netherlands. The
prestigious
Corus chess tournament formerly called
Hoogovens tournament takes place there every
year.
Due to its seaside location,
Wijk aan Zee has become a popular destination
among tourists. Although this is reflected in
the village economy (which consists to a large
extent of bars and hotels), Wijk aan Zee
continues to function more or less
traditionally. A sense of community is
maintained that is hard to find in other seaside
villages, and which manifests itself through a
vibrant public life and a strong organisation
potential.
In 1999, Wijk aan Zee named
itself "Cultural Village of Europe", recognizing
the special nature of village life in general.
This was three years after the Danish village of
Tommerup had claimed such a title, but this time
a large project was to ensue.
Wijk aan Zee came together
with villages from England, Estonia, France,
Greece, Italy, Spain, Germany, Denmark, The
Czech Republic and Hungary in an effort to
determine the role and future of villages in
Europe, but also to help each other find ways to
cope with difficulties that come to small
communities nowadays. Each year, another one of
these villages would bear the title of "Cultural
Village of Europe".
For more information
see full article on Wikipedia. |
