Advocacy

Published on 21:38 | by Raluca Pop

LIVE TEXT: Conferința „Sofia Conversations on Europe”: Europa, dezvoltare, cetățenie și cultură

Raluca Pop participă pe 13 septembrie 2013 la Sofia la „Sofia Conversations for Europe”, o conferință care va aduce împreună intelectuali, profesioniști din domeniul culturii, politicieni și specialiști în politici publice, manageri cultural și cercetători. Conferința va explora modalitatea în care bulgarii concep dezvoltarea pe baza valorilor libertății, cetățeniei active, responsabilității personale, transparenței, deschiderii și responsabilității autorităților publice. De asemenea, evenimentul va examina rolul artiștilor și intelectualilor în aceste procese și conexiunile dintre artă și cultură și cetățenie activă. Nu în ultimul rând, se va discuta despre crearea unor condiții favorabile pentru arte și cultură în Europa și Bulgaria prin instrumentele financiare ale Comisiei Europene. Descrierea pe larg a întâlnirii și programul sunt disponibile aici: http://asoulforeurope.eu/node/1786

Începând cu ora 9.30 Raluca va face LIVE-TEXT-ing pentru voi de la conferință în limba engleză.

Petar Stoyanovich – minister of Culture of Bulgaria

When we talk about Europe, we talk a lot about quantity, and not about quality, and that is a shame.

This is a good time for Bulgaria to host such a discussion, because we are now in a competition around the country for the selection of the European Capital of Culture. I think we are way too closed talking about articles and paragraphs, and way too little about the foundation ideas and what Europe is about.

We just finished the strategy for culture and it was my opinion that this strategy should be led by NGOs, the ministry should leavea apart its role as a governor.

The role of the ministry of culture should be unifying bridge both at national and international level.

I think one of the problems of European politics and policies is the fact that we do not recognize the Christian roots of our continent. We revolve around the idea of diversity, but we have a hard time defining the basis of our differences.

Culture should say what politicians do not or could not say outloud.

We should focus on the next generation, young people, and we should not do this in a technical way. Yung people should get to know each-other in Europe.

Europe has lost way too much time fighting for new identities, so we should now focus on what it means to be European.

Yordanka Fandukova, Mayor of Sofia

This event is very good for the city and very good for our reputation.

The European project is mostly a civil aproject. We would cultivate generation that would learn and travel together.

European values are fundamental human values.

The role of Bulgaria in the EU is very important, for urban environment, we had access to large resources, we were able to build large infrastructure project.

People need to look beyond of unification as an economic process. For me it means more as culture and education, education as a bridge for the future.

I would like to draw your attention to sustainbale development, which is a priority for myself and for the municipality I lead. Sofia is a leading municipality in the creation of new policies for culture. We have opened up to initiatives of artists and cultural organisations, who take decisions on what to fund at the level of the city. We have a strategy for culture 2020 and it is the fruit of interaction of all these organisations.

Andrey Kovachev, MEP, Member of the Parliamentarian Working Group „A Soul of Europe”

We need to invest in civil education. People need to know what it means a Bulgarian and European citizen, they need to be aware about the contract between generation, they need to know their rights and obligations. Currently many of these depend on the willingness of people. This can be seen also in the poor participation in elections.

The media has the responsibility to present in a transparent manner the advatages of being part of the European Union. There is a trend of xenophobic organisations and attitudes, and I fear that in the next European elections, they will gain more seats.

Ralitsa Kovacheva, journalist, member of the Bulgarian Initiative Group „A Soul of Europe”

Europe is also a personal cause. We should start talking about Europe in non-technical terms, and talk to the people.

INTRODUCTORY STATEMENTS ON EUROPE

Volke Hassemer, Chairman of the Board of Managers of EEIG „A Soul of Europe” (Germany)

We need to understand that it is us who are responsible for our Europe. It is action that is needed.

Whoever says that politicians and administrators are the ones best suited to shape the image of Europe. Why should not artists and intellectuals be responsible for creating these images of Europe?

When we discuss and move forward the concept to put culture at the heart of regional development. And we do this not because we fund culture, but because culture can really and truly provide essential ingredients for regional development.

The culture of democracy comes from bottom-up. Europe suffers because we really think that it is the other way around. But this is not a reason to criticize. We need to take personal action, we should become engaged and ask ourselves what Europe is.

Margarita Mladenova, Theater Director, Director and co-founder of Theater „Sfumato” Bulgaria

Culture is another way of looking at things. it is the only thing that can reestablish the wholeness of being.

When we emphasize too much quantity of living, when we pay attention only to the material, pragmatic success of civilization, we have lost the balance with the other part of man.

Culture is the only way to go back to the source.

We need to bring the human domain in the picture again. I truly oppose the concept of mass human. It might be easy to love humanity, but it is difficult to love man. There is spontaneity that should not be lost.

PANEL 1 –– EUROPE AS A CULTURAL AND CIVIC PROJECT. THE DEBATE ON THE FUTURE OF EUROPE

Moderator: Kathrin Deventer, Secretary General, European Festivals Association (Belgium)

It would be great to say Europe first, but this is hardly the case. Almost noone watched the state of the Union delivered by President Barrosso last days. No national media was referring to this speech. The reality is hardly any reference to the next European elections, but there is discussion about the US elections.

Doris Pack, MEP, Chairwoman of the Committee on Culture and Education (Germany)

We cannot compare Barrosso with Obama. One is representing his country, the other one is director of an executive committee. We are asking too much from such institutions and persons, but we should ask ourselves.

Proshko Proshkov, Sofia City Councilor, Bulgaria of the Citizens Movement (Bulgaria)

From an evolutionary point of view, there are different dog species, but it doesn’t matter, they are all dogs. Thiss makes the small dog bark at the large dog, they enter into a dialogue like this. It is the same with Europeans.

Kiril Kuzmanov, Visual Artist (Bulgaria)

The attempt to coexist is known as shared space. In this discourse it is very important to speak as Europe as a space for communication, and to talk about the European project as such.

Euroskeptisism relates to the difference between words and actions of many European citizens.

I tend to be a euroskeptic in the regard the EU selects certain projects.

We need to talk about the need of transparency in the projects that deal with urban environment.

Gergana Dimitrova, Theater director, Co-founder, „36 monkeys – Organization for Contemporary Alternative Art and Culture” (Bulgaria)

My view of Europe is mostly related to Europe as a cultural project. This is a political experiemtn that can fail, and we shouldn’t be afraid of that.

My vision of Europe is different to the economic Europe. I talk about a community of shared values. And something more important, things that support concrete effort to sustain these values. I look at Europe as team whose aim is not to score goal, but the goal is to build something, to live fuller lives.

There is a great mistrust in politicians in Europe, and this is not an isolated phenomenon. We should remember that Europe is a citizens project, and this dialogue always goes through the politicians, and especially local politicians.

I think it makes sense that the EU has centers or embassies in each of the Member States. And they can reperesent a network for cultural dialogue.

We cannot expect from politicians to create the new visions. They can be great partners in achieving them but I think meeting and discussing them on horizontal level, trust, are important.

Fruszina Szep, Program Director, Sziget Festival (Hunagary)

I am a happy human because my passion is my work. This is a luxury for many people today, ther are not able to do this.

I would like to change one narrative globally. Many people think that bringing people and nations together is considered a problem. I would suggest to consider it a challenge. Challenge has a positive connotation, and we should never forget to dream. It is not a luxury and we should not forget that.

Hannes Swoboda, MEP, President S&D Group (Austria)

Politics made a big mistake when it thought it can solve all issues and when it thought it can solve them in a short time. Transformation, especially in Europe, takes time.

Culture can show the kind of conflicts we need to solve very clearly.

If Europe wouldn’t be here, the problems would be much more difficult to solve. This about the situation to Hungary. But I would be not be eager to say we should go forward into saying even morewhat states should do. We cannot solve all the problems, but we can offer some guidelines.

Majority is not enough in politics, consensus is needed, and you need to bring in debate so that you ilustrate contradictions and new ideas.

In Europe, we do as if we were the masters of the world, but Europe need to reconsider this, and think about its real size. we are not large, neither by population, nor by economic power, if you look at the global realities. This is my main reason for which I think we need to be together, because we have something to defend together.

We need to defend common values, common economic standards, but we also need the provokation by culture, and ay society that tries to limit this, is limiting freedom. I am defending this kind of freedom, but let’s be open and let’s be frank, because Europe needs this.

ROUND OF REACTION FROM THE PANELISTS:

Proshkov: Politicians nowadays make promises, write empty checks to people, which they cannot really cover through their actions. Politicians need to win elections, and this is difficult with the new, well connected generation, who are now protesting in the streets and who are against the system.. We are outfashioned in this manner. Politicians feel there is no alternative. We cannot explian to the Bulgarian people why does it take so long to reach those values that we dedicated to upheld after the fall fo Communism.

I think the greatest thing in Bulgaria after 1989 is the deregulated Internet market, because this representes access to information.

Swoboda: People who are protesting are drawing conclusions about the past, but they are not making suggestions about the present and the future. We really need that, because otherwise there are extremist groups who are waiting to gain space in the public mind and space.

It is also our problem that we do not explain enough what we do for the citizens. Parliamentarians need to explain much better what we do.

PANEL 2 –– CITIZENS’ ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN THE POLICY PROCESSES. THE ROLE OF ARTISTS AND INTELLECTUALS

Lousa Slavkova, Consultant, Member of the Bulgarian Initiative Group „A Soul for Europe”

Vladimir Shopov, Policy founder, Founder of Sophia Analytica Ltd, Member of the Bulgarian Initiative Group „A Soul for Europe”

Why do the protests in Bulgaria happen now? Are we witnessing a new type of citizen?

My generation, that sociologists describe as an intermediate generation, of people around 40 years of age, has identified with people like Vaclav Havel, a hero that fought against the system, and for years we waited for such people. But the heroes are quite different. They are the quiet heroes of everyday life, who are fighting the problemes of everyday life. So all this time we have been waiting for the wrong hero. For years we did not want to look at these little people who are fighting their everyday battles.

The toxic public environment in Bulgaria does not cast any light on these little stories that I just mentioned. This is due to the concentration of media power, so many of the stories were not known to the majority of Bulgarians.

Many people have considered that the middle class in Bulgaria is a consumerist society.

If there is one lesson from the events now, this is the real speed of social changes now.

Cultural policy needs to find the tools and create situations in which more people can find the common experience of culture, not only the young people, to create a more sustainable future.

Hristo Hristev, Professor, Sofia University (Bulgaria)

The role of artists and intellectuals is key in the process if imagining a Europe of active, free citizens.

Practice of European integration has shown that launching active political integration, the European Union facethe problem of how to guaranty public legitimacy, and to assure the abiding of democratic principles.

What we see if very hrd degree of people unaware of the tools and instrument of democratic participation.

One of the key decisions we need to see at the European level is more funds contributing to a European environment that connects citizens and citizens organisations into what network. I am talking about programmes in education and culture. Unfortunately these fields are not priority.

We have a problem of communication European issues, many of citizens do not understand what is about at all.People need how to take advantage of European institutions influencing policies.

In all forms of communications, we should remind people WHY we do this. We take for granted why peopple should participate and the activation of civic rights.

Nicolas Bertrand, Theater Manager, Theater Company „Image Aigue” (France)

In order to convey through our artistic message the values of peace of tolerance, we started to become political, in the sense of civic activism.

We do this by build partnerships across Europe, we try not to work alone. We are also trying to promote a wider view of the cultural field. Not only the traditional cultural actors, but also the amateur practices.

We try to go more to the audience, to perform in front of a large audience. This started in France in the 70s, but it totally dissapeared in the 80s, when the sector became professional, and now it has become too bureaucratic, and we lost the sense of what we are doing.

We are trying to find solutions to reach become who are migrant, for instance.

We discovered that we can talk to the politicians, but we are depending of the subsidies that help us operate.

Veselin Dimov, Theater Director, Theater Company Momo, Member of the Bulgarian Initiative „A soul for Europe”

Artists and intellectuals have to be clear, but not agressive, humble but not submissive, pacient if true dialogue has started, firey if the dialogue is just simulated.

There has never been trust between policy work and the civil society in Bulgaria so far. So trust has not been lost. W

True partners can be only those who are structurally and financially relatively equal. But this is not the case. The use of resources from the EU was directed towards the institutions. We are divided by these resources at this moment. Institutions want to keep the status quo and received generous financial resources.

We can overcome mistrust by starting to creating trust, that there are good and responsible people both in NGOS and in institutions, and by trying to get to know eachother and enter into dialogue.

There are tons of good speakers, but only few good listeners.

Emilia Lissichkova, Executive Director, AGORA Platform

We need to build step by step our capacity to dialogue.

For people participation is not seen as value, so for this reason we need to go and explain them in communities. They are understood differently there, so community dialogue is important, because it will transmit the idea that participation is important as a value.

Our strategy was to provoke participation in local communities for the goal to solve problems which were real for them, to find common solutions to them.

Only after this they, the citizens who were involved, became interested and realised the level of their own competence and some took part in more general political problems.

Volker Hassemer, Chairman of the Board of Managers of EEIG „A Soul of Europe” (Germany)

The question we want to put today is what are you doing in order to construct Europe in your own personal framework.

ROUND OF REACTION FROM THE PANELISTS:

Shopov: We studied in sociological researches how people trace the origins of policy decisions. We looked at roaming policies and we were sure that people would understand that this comes from Europe. But only very little got that. it is very difficult to create legitimacy of Europe from this angle of public goods. Cognitively, this idea sticks with difficulty.

Vulkovsky: More and more we feel active citizens of Bulgaria, but are we ready to engage in the dialogue as European citizens, about Europe?

PANEL 3––THE „EUROPEAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE” AS A CITIZENS’ PROJECT

Kremena Hristova, Co-founder and Director, A25 Cultural Foundation (Bulgaria)

What comes after the project has ended in one city or another is as important as what happens during the project. The development of the civil society and dialogue between citizens and politicians are among the things that need to last after the project has ended. It can also create a network of international contacts and raise the interest of the media, which would raise the profile of arts and culture in the public arena.

Nele Hertling, Vice-president of the Berlin Academy of Arts, Member of the Strategy Group of „A Soul of Europe”

The cultural capital needs to be built on the uniqueness of each city: its history, its citizens, its artists. The more a city succeeds to present itself as unique, the more it will atract tourists from all over the world.

Based on the culture of the city, it is the task of the city to develop new ideas through the project, and the best way to be done is to bring all the citizens, the artists and intellectuals to engage in such a debate.

Memory is something the city needs to work on, because there are many in the younger generation who have barely any idea of the past, and the time fur such discussions is usually very limited.

In culture, as in politics, it is very important to know where you come from.

The culture capital needs to be a European project, highlighting the ties it has to Europe, the fact that it is a Eurpean city.

The legacy of the cultural capital has also been much too high investment into buldings. This raises the risk where they were not finished by the end of the project, and then, because of the low budget, they remained unused.

Malina Edreva, Sofia City Council, Chairwoman of the Standing Committee on Education, Culture and Cultural Diversity (Bulgaria)

Our main concern is to connect the city with its own resources. We refer here both to material resources, and its citizens.

Sofia is an example of denationalization of urban space. We are a diverse city and we embrace it.

What Sofia did as a candidate city for the European Culture Capital since 2004: we initiated and finished the theatre reform, we renovated theatre infrastructure, in 2007 we created the Sofia municipal Culture Programme and together with another programme, we allocate 3milion dinar per year. In 2009 we created the Europe Programme, which fosters citizens participation. We later established an association dedicated to the European Capital of Culture Project. In 2012 we adopted a long term cultural strategy, until 2020. The strategy has been discussed with many parties. It is to be adopted and prepared for implementation. In the beginning of 2013 we united our efforts with another regiona, the idea being to encourage them to put some content and meaning into the calendar of event for the Cultural Capital. Sofia in 2013 put aside some money for innovation, and a lot of discussion has been carried out.

Vania Rodriguez, Cultural Manager and Expert, Member of the Strategy Group „A Soul of Europe” (Portugal)

As the programme of the Culture Capital in Guimaraes was beginning, the high responsibility made that the civil society was left aside. The governance model was very strict, also due to the fact that many of the funds came from the ERDF.

This was a disaster and the citizens protested. So, what seemed a participative process, on the eve of the programme became a highly institutional programme, and the citzens dimension was dismissed.

The pressure led to the changing of governance model, and this was done by giving funds to 3 cultural organisations, who would administrate a separate strand of funding. Was this a victory?

The specific programme of the civil society managed to continue its programming and funding after the programme of the European Culture Capital ended in Guimaraes. This happened also because among the organisations a leader was found, which is very important.

Now the city, the municpality cannot act like before, it is now a multistakeholder model of governance.

The model of governance that you develop during the European Capital of Culture is the one that you might one to develop further, after the programme ends.

Aiva Rozenberga, Head of the Program, Riga 2014 (Latvia)

When we started to build our candidaccy, our first question was what do we want to change in our city. We wanted to have deeper changes in our city, we wanted to change the whole attitude towards what city developmen means.

New audiences can be found when culture reaches out to other domains. In our case, it was culture and environment.

Tanya Hristova, Mayor, Municipality of Gabrovo (Bulgaria)

Most politicians tend to invests in roads and infrastructure, and forget about culture. And I mean by culture used by smart people in order to find a platform where everyone can find and search for solutions.

For me the point of such an initiative as the European Capital of Culture is a chance for citizens to breath life into the cities they are living in.

These initiatives should provoke and suprise, and not impose restrictions.

Regardless if the city is chosen or not, the important thing is that very little effort is needed to reach out and have a conversation, and how you do this determines the level of trust you construct with those people.

In order to succeed we need to broaden the understanding of culture.

The project goes beyond cultural product. The situation here is such that it will change if we as mayors give the citizens the chance to say their opinion and to find together solution.

Margreta Anastasova, Manager, Association for Contemporary Arts „OHG”, Board Member, Hamalogika Association (Bulgaria)

Sometimes the dialogue between cultural organisations and public authorities does not happen not because one doesn’t want to be in contact with the other one, but because we didn’t try it before.

PANEL 4––EU STRUCTURAL FUNDS AS AN INSTRUMENT FOR DEVELOPMENT THROUGH CULTURE. LESSONS LEARNED AND NEW CHALLENGES.

live-text suspended because Raluca is attending the panel as a speaker 🙂