"Culture is Thessaloniki's natural and comparative advantage, and it, together with the people that serve it, will contribute definitively to the city's economic, cultural and tourism development," culture and tourism minister Pavlos Geroulanos said on Sunday, winding up an international culture and tourism forum organised in the northern Greek capital by the local Makedonia Media Group.

Geroulanos also outlined the "Crossroads of Cultures" that his ministry has planned for Thessaloniki, under which the city will host a different culture each year with various events.

The guest cultures for 2011 will be the Arab world and Israel, in 2012 Southeastern Europe, in 2013 China, in 2014 Russia, and in 2015 the United States.

"With this new program, Thessaloniki will contribute decisively to bringing the entire country out of the present crisis," the minister opined.