Shaping Cultural Policies in Europe for Free and Democratic Societies

Europe is facing major challenges: a multitude of new perspectives call for new solutions, while the security policy needs for a united Europe are growing, and fragmentation and polarisation are undermining social cohesion. Right-wing populist parties are gaining ground, representing an exclusionary understanding of culture. Against this backdrop, the question arises as to how the cultural sector can contribute to the strengthening of European democracies. In this context, the Genshagen Foundation, the UNESCO Chair ‘Cultural Policies for the Arts and Transformation’ at the University of Hildesheim and the ifa - Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen are organising a Dialogue Forum in mid-June to promote the networking of European cultural professionals and to facilitate joint efforts to find democratic solutions to the challenges arising from ongoing transformation processes.

To launch the Dialogue Forum, we invite you to a public, online introductory lecture by Sylvia Amann, international consultant in the field of cultural and creative industries and director of the Austrian consultancy ‘inforelais’, on the topic "Context and Dimensions of (Culture) Policies to Strengthen European Democracy" on 22 May from 12:00 to 13:00.

The event will take place on Zoom. Please register to receive the link to the Zoom event: https://eu02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/q51XaCxRT2WEa99t_XlJ7w#/registration

Afterwards, from 13:00 to 14:00, a preparatory meeting of the participants of the Dialogue Forum will take place in a small circle.

Partners: University of Hildesheim – UNESCO Chair “Cultural Policies for the Arts and Transformation”; ifa – Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen