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It is official: Biscay capital Bilbao has become the first ever Nobel prize-winning city. Bilbao''s City Hall will receive the inaugural Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize (created in conjunction with the Swedish Nobel academy) "in recognition of its integrated and holistic approach in urban transformation".

The Lee Kuan Yew World City prize organisation honours individuals or groups of people who work to ensure that a city becomes or remains an "attractive place where people will want to live, work and play", in the face of ever-increasing pressures imposed by the realities of urbanization.

The Award slogan is ''Liveability, Vibrancy, Sustainability and Quality of Life'' and this year''s inaugural prize (to be awarded every two years) goes to Bilbao City Hall in acknowledgement of its management of Bilbao during its regeneration from ''an obsolete and dilapidated industrial city into a knowledge based-economy''.

In its decision, the prize jury cited the City Hall''s "emphasis on environmental clean up, use of culture... and design, improvements to infrastructure and restoration of historic areas" which have successfully rejuvenated the city.

It was particularly impressed by Bilbao Ria 2000, established as a framework for creating a shared vision of the city, and noted that one of the key factors in the city''s transformation has been the Guggenheim Museum.

Since the launch of the award in June 2009, the Basque city''s nomination for the prize constituted one of the best kept secrets in the history of this generally proud city.

The Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize organization have remained steadfastly tight-lipped regarding the list of nominees, declaring that the official winner would be announced on Wednesday, May 19th.

Achievement of the award is no mean feat bearing in mind that its sponsor-city is Singapore, one of the world''s most modern and best models for urban solutions for the 21st century.

According to its website, the Lee Kuan Yew World City award ceremony and banquet will be held on June 29th.