Photo taken on Nov. 22, 2009 shows the Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen, capital of Denmark. (Xinhua/Zhao Changchun)

AARHUS, Denmark, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- Aarhus, Denmark's second largest city, unveiled on Wednesday an array of cultural programs that will be staged next year when the city will celebrate its title as the European Capital of Culture.

"Aarhus 2017 is going to be a creative tour de force with new works, special commissions, premieres, major events and festivals," said Aarhus 2017 CEO Rebecca Matthews at the launching ceremony.

"And it will encompass plenty of free as well as ticketed events," she added.

According to Matthews, about 400 cultural events, ranging from arts, architecture, design, film, music, literature as well as gastronomy, sport and history, will be staged in the city Aarhus and 18 local communities in the central Danish region for the entire year.

The program features artists from Denmark as well as from wider Scandinavian and European regions, bringing global culture to the region.

Under the banner of "Let's Rethink," Aarhus 2017 challenges the world to use arts and culture as a means of exploring the choices people must make for their future, said Matthews.

"We hope that the different perspectives and creative energy expressed by the outstanding artists assembling in Aarhus next year will be a catalyst and resource for managing those changes," she said.

Aarhus, located on the east coast of Denmark's Jutland peninsula with a population of 330,000, is named by Lonely Planet among the top European tourist destinations for the year 2016.

Aarhus Mayor Jacob Bundsgaard, also the chairman of the Aarhus 2017 Foundation, said the cultural events will boost tourism in the city as well as in surrounding areas, with about 5 million tourists being expected for the year 2017.

"The European Capital of Culture project is one of the most ambitious cultural projects Denmark has ever hosted -- and Aarhus and the rest of the central Jutland region are ready to make our entrance on the international stage," Bundsgaard said.

"I am in no doubt that 2017 will give a permanent boost to the whole area and increase our attractiveness both to new residents and to new business venture," the mayor added.

Initiated in 1985, the European Capital of Culture is an international cultural project that ranks among Europe's most ambitious ones. It embodies the richness and diversity of European culture and contributes to greater mutual understanding between the citizens of Europe.

Aarhus shares the 2017 title with Pafos in Cyprus.