Goethe Institute director urges cultural cooperation with Syria
Syria-Germany, Culture, 1/18/2002

" We are very much looking forward to a close and friendly cooperation with the new minister of culture and we are sure that our activities which we are normally planning together with different Syrian partners will serve our common aim," said the director of the Goethe Institute in Damascus Mr. Bjorn Luley, in a statement to Arabic News.

He added that the ultimate aim of our bilateral cooperation is to develop and strengthen of the long- existed fruitful cultural cooperation relations between Syria and Germany.

He explained that the September 11th, 2001 attacks against the US made it clear that this date showed how important is to initiate a dialogue between cultures and also personal contacts among peoples of different cultures to exchange ideas to talk about differences and matching points and also to realize that human beings on the whole Globe want peace and freedom, job opportunities and other basic human needs.

He continued that this contemplation also showed that we are all living in one world and all have the obligations to make the living together as human, as possible.

" I think in this field cultural exchange is a very important task. That is to bring people together, to learn about each other and just to co-operate in different fields ( music, theatre, applied arts.).," Mr. Luley commented, adding that therefore " we have prepared together with our Syrian partners a number of activities to bring specialists and artists from different fields from Germany and Syria together.

Citing the numerous activities planning to be carried out jointly by the two sides Mr. Said on January 23rd, the Goethe Institute will be organizing a Syrian- German seminar under the title:" civic commitment and honorary work in Germany and Syria," in order to exchange experiences in motivating people to get engaged in their societies.

He added that also in February 13 the Goethe Institute will run two lectures about " population growth and development," by the UN representative of the UNFPA in Syria Mr. Mustafa Benzine and by the German ambassador to Syria to Syria about the perspective for German- Syrian development co-operation.

He also indicated another important event will be held on March 3rd with a Syrian- German Round table seminar: Development and Society.

Mr. Luley noted that experts from Syria and Germany will discuss during this seminar about the possibilities of how economic reforms can be supplemented by social reforms and which models for such transformational progress are being discussed at present. He added that participants from Germany Dr. Claudia Derichs and Dr. Jochen Hippler ( both experts in international development at the university of Duisburg) and Syria: Dr. Nabil Sukkar ( economist and Consultant ) and Dr. Michel Kilo ( writer and sociologist).

Mr. Luley added that besides those lectures " we " will have several exhibitions by Syrian and German artists.

He said that from March 12 to 21, there will be the German Film festival with films from Austria, Germany and Switzerland.

He elaborated that after its successful launching in March 2000 this year's film festival will take place for the third time, New films from the German speaking countries, Austria, Germany and Switzerland will be presented, all for the first time in Syria and in the original version with English subtitle. He said this event is organized in co-operation with the embassies of Austria and Switzerland in Damascus.

He indicated that the musical highlight of the Goethe Institute's January- March program will be a concert by the Youth symphony orchestra of the state of Brandenburg ( one of the 16 German states), on the 20th of March under the patronage of the Syrian minister of culture Dr. Najwa Qassab Hassan with the participation of the Syrian pianist Wasim Kotoub, when works by " Weber," " Beethoven, " Dvarak " and Solhi al-Wadi will be performed.

Previous Stories:
  Commercial sexual exploitation of children is not present in Syria   (1/9/2002)
  Exhibition on the architecture of Apolodro, the Damascene opened in Damascus   (12/20/2001)
  Goethe Institute director: Personal contacts between peoples of different cultural pivotal for inter- cultural bridges   (6/13/2001)
  Goethe Institute for boosting cultural ties with Syrian partners   (11/20/2000)

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