Participants in the meeting of the Permanent Representatives Committee I (COREPER I) were welcomed by Mayor Urmas Klaas in the White Hall of the University of Tartu Museum on Friday evening, spokespeople for the city government said.

In his remarks, Klaas presented Tartu as an open and international city for whom the university has been the driving engine for centuries already. The mayor also highlighted Tartu's role as the cradle of Estonia's national culture — as the place where the nation's song festival and theater traditions got their start.

On Saturday, the nearly 70-strong delegation is scheduled to tour the city and visit the Estonian National Museum (ERM) before a specially scheduled evening flight is to take guests from Tartu to Brussels.

Earlier this week, a conference titled "Cultural Heritage 3.0: Audience and access in the digital era" was held in Tartu within the framework of the Estonian presidency of the Council of the EU, which addressed the challenge of linking cultural heritage with social innovation and economic development.

In September, the European Week of Sport 2017 will be opened in Tartu.

Earlier this week, a conference titled "Cultural Heritage 3.0: Audience and access in the digital era" was held in Tartu within the framework of the Estonian presidency of the EU Council, which looked at the challenge of linking cultural heritage with social innovation and economic development.

In September, the European Week of Sport 2017 will be opened in Tartu.