The current state and future of European democracy: European reality is in crisis, but not the European idea.
On May 26, 2019, citizens of all European states will elect their representatives to the European Parliament. This election will decide the future of the European Community: Will it disintegrate further back into competing national states? Or will it succeed in implementing fundamental reforms for better cooperation? And above all: Will it be able to excite the citizens more strongly for the idea of a common, democratic and solidary Europe?
The European Democracy Lab has formulated a concrete proposal for the future of Europe:
The idea of a European Republic.
In a republic, all sovereignty comes from citizens.
The F(EU)ture Festival of the European Democracy Lab and the CLB Berlin offers a stage for this idea and invites visitors to discuss a truly democratic order in Europe.
At the heart of the festival is the workshop exhibition “The European Republic is Under Construction” on the European Balcony Project 2018: Based on a manifesto by Ulrike Guérot and Robert Menasse, the foundation of the European Republic was proclaimed on November 10, 2018 in 200 locations in 25 countries. Thousands of images and videos of the art action impressively testify to how strongly the belief in Europe is still anchored in the population today.
The program of events includes lectures, talks, workshops, performances and, last but not least, political debates.
Program overview:
01.03. Opening evening
18.00 // Opening of the festival with Klaus Lederer, Senator for Culture and Europe, and Ulrike Guérot at CLB Berlin
18.30 // Opening of the workshop exhibition “The European Republic is Under Construction” at CLB Berlin.
02.03. “Economic Perspectives.” 15.00 // Panel discussion by United Europe at CLB Berlin.
What role do business leaders play in European political debates? Should entrepreneurs and managers get more involved in politics, show backbone and fight aggressively for Europe? Or should they stay out of politics because they primarily have their own entrepreneurial interests in mind and not the future of Europe?
We will discuss this with
Simone Menne, multi-supervisory board member,
Christian Schubert, Head of BASF’s Capital Office
Henrik Schmitz, Vice President Communication Strategy Telekom.
Moderation: Ulrike Guérot
05.03. “Building Europe. The role of images and architecture in making European democracy.” 19.00 // Workshop with Dennis Pohl (UDK) at CLB Berlin.
Every political structure is defined by its communication systems – a series of rules and technologies intended for the production and distribution of information. In a cultural historical analysis, Dennis Pohl (University of the Arts, Berlin) talks about the role of architecture for the EU, and questions what iconographic images mean for Europe.
Talk by Dennis Pohl, moderated by Marie Rosenkranz from the European Democracy Lab.
06.03. “Policy Kitchen – Workshop on European Digitalization Policy” 19.00 // by Polis180 at CLB Berlin.
Instead of just benefiting from the progress of digitization, Polis180 wants to give young voters the opportunity to actively participate in shaping European digitization policy and to make demands for an improved digitization policy in the context of the European election campaign jung & wählerisch.
07.03. Robert Menasse, reading and discussion 20.00 //Buchladen am Moritzplatz (left of CLB).
Robert Menasse discusses the “European Republic” and reads from his novel “The Capital” – winner of the German Book Prize 2017, published by Suhrkamp Verlag. His great European novel about civil servant Dr. Martin Susman is “a grandiose … declaration of love for Europe and at the same time a brilliantly researched inside view of the work of the European Commission.” (Denis Scheck, Der Tagesspiegel)
12.03. Volt Germany meets Ulrike Guérot 19.00 // CLB Berlin.
Together with the visitors we will discuss how stronger political participation can look like in reality: Which concepts already exist? Which ones are missing in our society? How practicable are they in implementation? We will discuss different ideas of civil society participation and gather impulses for a strong and sustainable Europe.
13.03. “Cultural Policy in Europe” 19.00 // Workshop by the Institute for Cultural Governance and Polis180 at CLB Berlin.
Just a few weeks before the European elections, and in the middle of the discussions about the future of the Programme Creative Europe, the F(EU)ture Festival offers a place to discuss the future of the European cultural governance. After an introduction and input by Dr. Janet Merkel (Institute for Cultural Governance) participants will be invited to identify pressing issues and to develop first propositions during the workshop.
15.03. Main Festival Day
12.30 // Proclamation of the European Republic, performance by the Berliner Ensemble, main entrance Aufbau Haus.
13.00 // Election Lunch. The parties for the European Parliament introduce themselves, CLB Berlin.
14.30 // “Cities and Regions in Global Politics”, workshop with Saskia Sassen and Julien Deroin at CLB Berlin.
17.00 // Activism, CLB Berlin.
19.00 // Berlin premiere of “De Eurocommissaris” by the theater group Mugmetdegoudentand at tak Theater Aufbau Kreuzberg.
Credits
A project of the European Democracy Lab
in collaboration with CLB Berlin.
Program partners:
Buchhandlung Moritzplatz, The Progressive Center, Polis180, tak Theater Aufbau Kreuzberg, United Europe.
Sponsors:
Bundesverband Digitale Wirtschaft, Forum Morgen, United Europe.
Copyright image: Rem Kohlhaas.
Photos: © Frieder Unselt