The ECCM-Network Symposium and The Kids' Guernica Exhibition in 2007
Greek Version (PDF)
October 18th - 19th 2007
Venue: Zappeion Megaron - Athens - Greece
The ECCM Symposium "Productivity of Culture" follows the first ECCM Symposium which took place in Athens 2005.
The focus of the Symposium was the relationship between culture and economy as follow-up to a study on the same subject published by the European Commission. One aim is to verify the contents of that study onhand of experiences made by cities when undertaking to be European Capitals of Culture for one year.
The Symposium included besides discussions about cultural policy and the role of culture as well the new field of cultural planning. Linked to that was a special session on 'dialogue between cultures' and therefore sessions to see what cultural networks can realize in such a world.
Departing from previous discussions about European Capitals of Culture, such as the one held at the conference "Culture empowers Europe" held in June 2007, a main concern about this designation has become that culture is reduced to an events calendar and used solely for purpose to legitimize investments in cultural infrastructure related projects. At the same time the many vibrant cultures brought about by European Capitals of Culture are not recognized. Here the ECCM Network in its effort to create an archive could do something about this lack of awareness what is achieved during this one year. After the Bob Palmer Report which poses in a most serious manner the question of sustainability after that one year has been completed, there have followed several good reports e.g. Luxembourg 2007 while a new publication by Juergen Mittag from the Institute for Social Movements in Germany has been able to bring together various viewpoints (financial, political, cultural etc.) to tell the story of the European Capitals of Culture anew.
In anticipation of 2009 being for the European Union the year of 'creativity and innovation' the discussion should have focused more on how culture can facilitate the bringing about a knowledge base as the declared aim of the Lisbon strategy. Here a Symposium with the title 'productivity of culture' wanted to make a start as outlined in a discussion paper by Spyros Mercouris (see session 'culture and economy'), but it was never clarified sufficiently how economic theory, concepts of rationality and dialogue can be linked to the cultural economy. Most important is here what Bart Verschaffel cautioned as philosopher, namely that 'creativity' cannot be planned.
As to cultural planning and the art of letting culture unfold, it can happen in manifolded ways. Here the history of European Capitals of Culture can indicate how small poetry translations or theatrical performances can open up the local community to the diversity of European cultures. Of interest is as well what dialogue the three cities designated for 2010 have entered, namely Pecs, Essen - Ruhr 2010 and Istanbul.
As to the Kids' Guernica exhibition which took place jointly with the Symposium, there were exhibited from all over the world, including Australia, Afghanistan, Japan, Nepal, USA, Georgia, Turkey-Greece, India, Palestine, Lebanon, Martinique and Greece. All children's peace murals have the same size as Picasso's Guernica (7,8 x 3,5 m). One of these paintings was done by children from Chios, Greece and from Izmir, Turkey. They got together in Izmir to underline the theme of the Symposium, namely dialogue between cultures.
The organization of both the Symposium and the Kids' Guernica exhibition have been realized by the ECCM-Network in co-operation with the Municipality of Athens, the Cultural Centre of Athens, the European Union Club of Athens, the Melina Mercouri Foundation, the NGO Horizons Activities and the Non Profit Urban Society Poiein kai Prattein.
The joint event was made possible by the kind support of the Niarchos and Eugenides Foundations as well as by the Karouzas Construction and Development Company.
All was done thanks to the initiative by Spyros Mercouris, Honorary President of the ECCM-Network in collaboration with Philippos Logothetis from the European Union Club and Anna Arvanitaki, Hatto Fischer and Thomas Economacos from Poiein Kai Prattein.
Topics of the Symposium:
- Cultural Policy
- The Role of Culture
- Dialogue between Cultures
- Cultural Planning
- Culture and Economy
- Capitals of Culture
- Network of Networks
- Presentations
- Conclusions
- Poetry
- Kids' Guernica Exhibition at the Zappeion Megaron Athens
Program:
Speaker
Wednesday 17 October 2007:
Poetry Reading
- 19.00 - 22.00
- Poetry Reading by Michael D. Higgins
at Athens Centre
48, Archimidous Street116 36 Athens Greece
organised by the Greek-Irish Society
Thursday 18 October 2007:
Opening
- 9.00 - 9.30
- Welcome Speech
Nikitas Kaklamanis - Mayor of Athens - Welcome Speech
Nikos Stasinopoulos - President of the European Union Club - Introduction to the Symposium
Spyros Mercouris - Honorary President of the ECCM Network and Representative of the Melina Mercouri Foundation
- Welcome Speech
Cultural Policy
- 9.30 -11.00
- Chair Person: Spyros Mercouris - General Coordinator of 'Athens1985'
- Cultural Policy of the Municipality of Athens
Sofi Daskalaki Mitilinaiou - President of the Board of the Cultural Centre of the Municipality of Athens - Cultural Policy, the Arts, Vision, Productivity and Quality of Life
Michael D. Higgins - former Minister of Culture, Ireland and MP of Irish Parliament - Continuity of EU Cultural Policy: Istanbul 2010 - a European Cultural City already in dialogue
Nuri M. Colakoglu - Coordinator of Istanbul 2010 - Children’s Imagination, the truth of the world – the experience of Kids' Guernica
Takuya Kaneda - Prof. of Art Education, Tokyo
Opening of the Kids' Guernica Exhibition
- 11.00 outside the Zappeion Megaron
Introduction into the exhibition and introducing the Co-ordinators of Kids' Guernica Workshops: Hatto Fischer (Greece)- Present from Kids' Guernica at the opening were:
- Takuya Kaneda (Japan)
- Iman Nouri Mourad (Lebanon)
- Jad Salman (Palestine)
- Sara Lowndes (Dubai)
- Asit Poddar (India)
- Deniz Hasirci (Turkey)
- Bernand Conlon (Northern Ireland)
- Savina Tarsitano (Italy)
- Yvette Galot (Martinique)
- Efi Lipari (Greece)
- Thomas Economacos (Greece)
- Anna Arvanitaki (Greece)
- Maria Capari (Greece)
- Maya Fischer (Greece)
- Kostas Kartelias (Greece)
- Jan Brueggemeier (Germany)
- Magnolia Albertazzi (Italy)
Spyros Mercouris, special advisor to Kids' Guernica
- 11.30 - 12.00 Coffee Break
The role of culture
- 12.00 - 14.00
- Branding of Culture
Volker Hassemer, Berlin - Ex-Senator for Urban Development and Environmental Protection, Ex Senator for Cultural Affairs, Spokesperson for the Initiative “A Soul for Europe - Listen to the Artists!
Karl - Eric Norrman - General Secretary of European Cultural Parliament - The Role of Museums, Foundations, Institutions
Angelos Delivorias- Director of Benaki Museum, Athen - Journalism and Culture - the Receptivity of Culture in the Information Society
A. Carakousis - special correspondent of the newspaper VIM - Cultural Heritage and Environment
Costa Carras,- President of Hellenic Eteria for the Protection of Cultural Heritage and Environment
- Branding of Culture
- 14.00 - 15.00 Lunch
Dialogue between cultures
- 15.00 - 16.30
- Chair person: Carin Fisher - General Coordinator of 'Stockholm1998'
- Introduction to the Dialogue between Cultures
Dusan Sidjanski - Professor, Latsis Foundation Geneva - Is the necessary dialogue between cultures still possible?
Abdelaziz Kacem - Prof. (University of Tunis), Essayists in Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies, Member of the European Academy of Sciences, Arts and Literature - Initiatives of Europe for a Dialogue between Civilizations
Guy Delacroix - Deputy German Ambassador to Greece (Cultural Dimension of a European Cultural Policy) - Acculturaltion and European Citizenship as Significant Parameters in the Multicultural Urban Space
Dr. Kostas Theologou - post-doc N.T.U.A. research, member of the EU_RA.net (European Research Associates network)
- 16.30 - 17.00 Coffee break
Cultural Planning
- 17.00 - 18.30
- Visions for Cities: Public Truth and Public Spaces
Bart Verschaffel - Philosopher, Head of Faculty of Architecture and Planning, University of Gent, Belgium - Public Spaces for Children in Cities
Deniz Hasirci - Ass. Prof. at Izmir University of Economics, Department of Interior Architecture and Environmental Design - Cities and Artists: developing cultural projects together?
Diane Dodd - University of Girona, European liaison and ConnectCP Co-ordinator for IFACC - Cultural Capitals of Europe and the Identity of European City (Athens, Glasgow, Lisbon, Thessaloniki
Anastasia Paparis - Architect A.U.Th., Town Planner U.C.L., M. Phill., M.RT.P.I - Taking Culture into Consideration by Urban Planners
Anna Arvanitaki - Poiein kai Prattein, Greek Ministry of Environment, Urban Planner
- Visions for Cities: Public Truth and Public Spaces
Friday October 19th
Culture and Economy
- 9.30 - 11.00
- Chair Person: Simone Beck - Ex General Secretary of ECCM-Network, Coordinator of 'Luxemburg1995'
- A Perspective for a Civilized Life
George Krimbas - former Director of OECD - Greek Section, Prof. of University of Athens - Culture and Economy - a possible dialogue about new policy measures
Joanna Sanetra-Szeliga - International Cultural Centre of Krakov - Ruhr 2010 – Creative Industries: Project related to the Process
Bernd Fesel - active member of the team ‘Creative Industries’ for RUHR 2010, Capital of Culture - From Productivity to Creativity: the Making of the cultural Economy
Hatto Fischer - Dr. in Political Philosophy, Poet, Co-ordinator of Poiein kai Prattein and Associated Member of the ECCM-Network
Presentation of the European Cultural Capitals
- 11.30 – 12.30
- Chair Persons:
- Yvonne Felman Rego - Coordinator of 'Lisbon1994', Ad interim coordinator of ECCM-Network
- Ingo Weber - Coordinator of 'Berlin1998' - Ad interim coordinator of ECCM-Network
- Presentations of the current and newly designated European Capitals of Culture:
- Sibiu 2007 - Cristian Radu
- Liverpool 2008 - William Chambers
- Istanbul 2010 - Erman Tuncer
- Turku 2011 - Innila Suvi
- Chair Persons:
Network of Networks - the global dimension of culture
- 12.30 – 14.00
- Networks of Americas and Coordination & Programs of the Network of Networks
Xavier Tudela - Americas and Cataloni - Projects and Impact of Culture in Central Europe
Max Aufischer - Coordinator of the Network of Cities of Central Europe - Culture for Change And Impact of Culture On the Region of Volga
Anna Gor, Gleb Firsov, Julia Goncharenkor - Network of Volga Region - US Capitals of Culture
Maria Teresa Velasco - University Network of the European Capitals of Culture
William Chambers - Vice President of UNEECC and Dean of the Liverpool Hope University
- Networks of Americas and Coordination & Programs of the Network of Networks
- 14.00 – 15.00 Lunch
Discussions
- 15.00 - 16.00
Discussion 01: Networking through Kids’ Guernica - aims and experiences
Coordinated by- Magnolia Albertazzi (Italy)
- El-Hanan! Affection for Peace, Longing for Peace.
Iman Nouri Mourad Business consultant, resident of Tripoli - The Experience of Martinique – the abolition of discrimination
Savina Tarsitano - artist, Italy
Yvette Galot - director of Cultural Centre Martinique - The peace message of the children from Dubai – life hangs in a balance
Sara Lowndes - UEA, Dubai - Children of Palestine
Jad Salman - Artist, Palestine - Blind Boys’ Guernica
Asit Poddar Artist, India - Wall murals in Belfast – a city moving towards reconciliation
Bernard Conlon - Journalist, Northern Ireland - The dialogue between cultures – the Izmir-Chios painting
Deniz Hasirci - Assist. Professor, Turkey
Efi Lipari - Kids' Guernica, Greece - The children of the 108th Elementary School – the power of abstraction
Thomas Economacos artist, Greece
- 16.00 – 17.00
Discussion 02: The organizational framework at global level
- Xavier Tudela – Americas and Catalonia
- Rudolfo Maslias – ECCM-Network and Municipality of Athens
- Ingo Weber - ECCM-Network
- William Chambers – University Network of European Capitals of Culture
- Takuya Kaneda – Kids’ Guernica International
- Anna Gor - Network of Volga Region
- Kacem Abdelaziz – Network of Cultural Capitals of the Arabic Countries
Conclusions
- 17.00 - 18.00
- Outcome of the Symposium – a dialogue between Bart Verschaffel and Hatto Fischer
Bart Verschaffel - Philosopher, Head of Faculty of Architecture and Planning, University of Gent, Belgium and Coordinator of Literature of 'Antwerp1993' - Hatto Fischer - Poet, Coordinator of Poiein kai Prattein and Associated Member of the ECCM-Network
- Comments and recommendations
Dusan Sidjanski - President of the European Cultural Centre, Professor Emeritus at the University of Geneva, Special Advisor to the President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso
- Outcome of the Symposium – a dialogue between Bart Verschaffel and Hatto Fischer
- 18.00 – 20.00
- European Union Club Athens
- Presentation of the Peace Mural by the Children of the 108 Elementary School of Athens with Thomas Economacos
- Presentation of the Future plans of Kids’ Guernica in Martinique – Savina Tarsitano and Yvette Galot
- 20.00 Bus to Technopolis
- 20.30 Visit of the First Athens Biennial 2007
- 21.30 Presentation of the Documentation Centre on Capitals of Culture
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