Europa: 'Wir Schaffen Das'! - Forum on European Culture 2018
Channel: De Balie
Date: 2018-06-03

Germany has always played a central role both politically and culturally. For Europe, there is simply no way around Germany. Think about German writers and thinkers as Goethe and Hannah Arendt and Angela Merkel's political leadership. Simultaneously, Germany’s key role is not without risks. Its leadership in Europe is often encouraged, but its burdensome past tells us that power should be balanced.

For the past decades, Germany has been a Europen symbol of stability and collaboration in the midst of rising nationalism and anti-EU sentiments. After 2017, Germany suddenly appears more fragile with the rise of the radical right wing AfD and Merkel's diminishing authority. Where is Germany, and Europe with it, heading?

We consider the cultural and political role of Germany in Europe with, among others, the powerful German lawyer and Muslim feminist Seyran Ates, and the actor Lars Eidinger. Can Germany lead today's fragmented European society? This will be the subject of the panel discussion including curator Chris Dercon.

Dutch singer-song writer WENDE will adorn the programme with European songs.

Seyran Ates is a is a German lawyer and Muslim feminist. In 2017, Ates opened the first liberal mosque in Germany. Her views on the ‘multicultural mistake’ of modern society and the role of the Islam in contemporary Germany are very controversial in a society divided by the consequences of the refugee crisis. (Coming of Seyran Ates under provision.)

WENDE is a Dutch singer. She is one of the leading musical talents and performers of the Netherlands and recently won the prestigious Annie M. G. Schmidt award for best song

Lars Eidinger (1976) is a German actor. Since 1999 he has been an ensemble member at the Berliner Schaubühne. Eidinger is a leading figure in the cultural scene in Germany.

Chris Dercon is a Belgian art historian and curator. He is the former director of Tate Modern in London and former intendant of the Volksbühne in Berlin.

Moderator: Natasja van den Berg

This programme is a part of the second edition of the Forum on European Culture: “Act for Democracy!”. At a time when the future of Europe is more uncertain than ever before, we bring together leading and inspiring artists, thinkers, economists and politicians during a 4-day interdisciplinary programme to discuss Europe and its future.

This programme is made possible by Goethe-Institut Niederlande.


More information: 
https://cultureforum.eu/program/europa-wir-schaffen-das
https://cultureforum.eu


Livestream 2018-06-02

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https://youtu.be/2ttnfUzJSdc

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