Forum Lyon 2013 – A Soul for Europe Saturday 25th of May 2013 – Goethe Institut, Lyon
The theatre company Image Aiguë, the Civil Society initiative A Soul for Europeand the Artistic cooperation network Europe & Cies are organizing the Forum Lyon 2013 - A Soul for Europe during the 6th Printemps d'Europe festival, in partnership with the Goethe Institut in Lyon. Local politicians as well as civil society actors and artists will participate in the Forum. Discussions will focus on the link between citizenship, immigration and international relations. This day of exchanges is conceived in conjunction with the presentation of Image Aiguë performances related to the theme of the Ogre and borders. Forum Lyon 2013 aims to promote dialogue between civil society actors and policy makers in order to explore and develop new forms of collaboration together that are necessary for the development of our cities, regions and the process of European integration. We believe these cooperations must be based on the active participation of citizens in order to be in line with the aspirations of society and to encourage cross-disciplinary approaches between the different spheres of activity (culture, social policy, research, education, economics, etc.). They will take into account the cultural dimension as an essential factor to shape a positive collective vision for the development of the society. Cultural actors and more generally the civil society itself have a role to play in this inclusive and cultural process: the artistic and cultural practices are a privileged space for mobilizing, developing and transmitting common values (between cultures, between generations... ), they are an invitation to take part actively in democratic life. Lyonnaise population is characterized by its "worldwide" cultural diversity, as Europe became mostly a haven, a land of immigration since the second half of the twentieth century because of its economic prosperity and democratic stability. In Lyon many artistic and cultural actors, and even public authorities, are taking into account the inclusive and intercultural dimension in their approach. However, despite this positive specificity, there is still a lot do on the issue of democratization of culture (development practices, expansion and access for citizens) and its consideration at the metropolitan level. Beyond local aspects, the cultural dimension of living together should be particularly taken into account by Europe. At its borders, in a Mediterranean political and social transformation, Europe is experiencing a strong migratory pressure from its neighbours and more distant countries. Inside, the moral, social and economic crisis leads us to retreat, promoting the growth of xenophobia, nationalism or simply mistrust vis-à-vis foreigners (whether EU or non-EU ). How are we to consider the prospect of the European population's decline in this major contemporary tension if we do not accept more than 55 million foreign workers in four decades? Why is it necessary to seriously consider the inclusive dimension of culture in our projects and practices, both in France and Europe? How should the cultural and civic dimension be taken into account in international relations, especially with countries of the Mediterranean basin? These are the questions we will address during the Forum Lyon 2013.
Forum Lyon 2013 – draft note
20/03/2013
Previsional planning Friday, May 24th: 19:30 – Chantiers performances by Image Aiguë with Forum participants Saturday, May 25: 9:00 – 18:00 - Goethe Institut Lyon 9:30-10:00 - Keynote speech 10:00-12:30 - Roundtable 1 & dialogue with the public: Immigrants as citizens: culture as an invitation to citizenship, a space of invention and sharing of values. 13:30-16:00 - Roundtable 2 & dialogue with the public: Beyond borders, culture as a vector for international cooperation and democratic development. 16:15-16:45. - Results, Recommendations and Outlook 16 :45-17 :45. - Interview with a great guest (tbc) 19 :30 - Chantiers performances by Image Aiguë
in partnership with the Goethe Institut, Lyon
with the support of EU Citizenship programme
Forum Lyon 2013 – draft note
20/03/2013