From the Focal Point

For the Freedom of Expression

Tragedies have marked the first days of 2015. The bloodshed and death of the people in the terrorist attack on the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo on 7 January and, almost simultaneously (3 to 7 January), the massacre of the local population in the Nigerian fishing town of Baga, because the children were sent to school according to 'foreign' customs, have once more brought to the fore the issues of respect and tolerance, solidarity, openness, diversity and identity.

These are really fundamental issues of our time, closely related to intercultural dialogue. Their solutions must not lie in the politics of isolation and building of walls, which is, unfortunately, nowadays increasingly visible in Europe, but in the creation of a long-term strategy that would put the cultural and educational dimension into the centre of development goals. Education in a culture of peace and tolerance, in cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue, is indispensable from kindergarten to university. Intercultural dialogue is neither a myth nor a cult; it is a common reality and a common value of our only planet, an essential process in building new social and cultural models in a changing world. Intercultural dialogue is, as UNESCO emphasizes, one of the key challenges facing humanity.

These are indeed fundamental issues today, at a time when the revival of nationalism within Europe and outside of Europe is manifested in a revitalization of national unity, with a clear distinction between 'us' and 'them', and in a suppression of individual human rights and freedoms by collective stigmatization and collective identity.

It is necessary to fight for the freedom of expression, as is tirelessly stressed by Swedish artist Lars Vilks, who, owing to his caricatures, has lived in a secret location since 2007. Without this freedom, cultural networks dedicated to a constructive dialogue on cultural diversities and to the promotion of cultural communication and cooperation throughout the world, could not function and contribute to cross-cultural understanding.

Culturelink Team

1.   HERITAGE FORUM OF CENTRAL EUROPE

The International Cultural Centre in Krakow, Poland is organising the 3rd edition of the Heritage Forum of Central Europe which will take place on 16 - 18 September 2015. The Forum is focused on The City. The call for papers is open until 20 February 2015. >>>

2.   DIGITAL HERITAGE 2015 INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS

Digital Heritage 2015, jointly with its affiliated conferences and exhibitions invite you to participate in and contribute to the second international forum which will take place in Granada, Spain, on 28 September - 2 October 2015. The deadline for the submission of abstracts is 15 March 2015. >>>

3.   BAMAKO SYMPOSIUM 2015: CONSIDERING MEDIA ARTS FROM GLOBAL TO LOCAL

Bamako Symposium 2015 (5th edition of the Bamako Summer School) on Media Arts from Global to Local, organized as collaboration between Balani's Association and Nka Foundation, will be held in Bamako, Mali on 17 - 24 July 2015. Abstract deadline is 25 June 2015. The deadline for the full text submission is 12 July 2015. >>>

4.   CHANGE OF SCENE CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

The funding programme Change of Scene, initiated by the Robert Bosch Stiftung and the German Centre of the International Theatre Institute, supports international cooperation projects in the performing arts with partners from Eastern Europe and North Africa. Application deadline is 15 February 2015. >>>

5.   SOMA SUMMER 2015: CALL FOR APPLICATION

SOMA Summer is a unique eight-week programme for international artists, curators, critics and art historians, conducted in English in Mexico City, Mexico (6 July - 28 August 2015). Its goal is to produce a counterpoint to the dynamics of art schools, museums, and galleries. Application deadline is 2 March 2015. >>>

6.   2015 TCF CULTURAL EXCHANGE FELLOWSHIP CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

The Turkish Cultural Foundation (TCF) is now accepting applications for its 2015 Cultural Exchange Fellowship Programme in Turkish Culture and Art. The TCF Cultural Exchange Fellowship is awarded twice a year and aims to support international exchanges between artists and other culture professionals. The deadline to apply for the second term is 30 June 2015. >>>

7.   SUMMER UNIVERSITY ON THE CITY UPLOADED: URBAN INTERSECTIONS OF FILM AND NEW MEDIA

The Central European University (CEU), Budapest, Hungary announces a postgraduate summer course on The City Uploaded: Urban Intersections of Film and New Media to be held on 6 - 11 July 2015 in Budapest. Application deadline is 14 February 2015. >>>

8.   ARTIST PROGRAMME 2015: CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

The Programa de Artistas of the Universidad Torcuato Di Tella in Buenos Aires, Argentina is a one-year programme that provides visual artists, critics, and curators with an intensive experience in which to reflect on and produce contemporary art. The application deadline is 2 March 2015. >>>

9.   PhD IN SUSTAINABILITY SCIENCE 2015

The Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability, United Nations University announces its PhD programme in Sustainability Science 2015, seeking to promote a better understanding of the issues by incorporating global change perspectives, specifically those related to climate change and biodiversity. Application deadline: 30 April 2015. >>>

10.   NEW ONLINE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS OF UBC CENTRE FOR CULTURAL PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT

The international University of British Columbia (UBC) Centre for Cultural Planning and Development offers two new sessions of online professional development workshops taught by Lidia Varbanova - Cultural Entrepreneurship and Cultural Planning: An International Perspective. >>>

11.   ARTS / CULTURES / MIGRATIONS

The Association of European Cities and Regions for Culture Les Rencontres announces the organisation of its next conference La Rencontre de Fontenay-sous-Bois to be held in Fontenay-sous-Bois from 5 to 7 March 2015. It will be devoted to the topical theme of Arts / Cultures / Migrations. >>>

12.   CREATIVE INDUSTRY INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE: CULTIVATING CREATIVE COMMUNITIES

Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) is organising the Creative Industry International Conference (CIIC 2015) to take place in Kedah, Malaysia on 3 - 4 April 2015. The theme is Cultivating Creative Communities. >>>

13.   EUROPEAN TEXTILE NETWORK CONFERENCE

As part of the Dutch Textiel Festival, the European Textile Network (ETN) is organising its 17th conference under the title Dutch Textile Art, Craft and Design, to be held at Leiden, the Netherlands on 16 - 17 May 2015. The event will include textile tours to Tilburg, Amsterdam, Rijswijk, Zaandam and Marken, Leuven and Antwerp, and a Jacquard workshop at the Tilburg Textile Museum. >>>

14.   HERITAGE, CULTURE AND TOURISM

The Heritage, Culture and Tourism: Policy and Practice for Maximising Results study programme, organised by the Public Administration International, UK, will take place in London from 1 to 5 June 2015. >>>

15.   EUROPEANA CREATIVE PILOT APPLICATIONS

Europeana Creative is a European project which enables and promotes greater re-use of cultural heritage resources by creative industries. Europeana Creative sets the stage for fascinating collaborations between content-providing cultural heritage institutions and creative industries stakeholders in the education, tourism, social networks and design sectors. >>>

16.   CREATING GROWTH: MEASURING CULTURAL AND CREATIVE MARKETS IN THE EU

This study on the economic value of cultural and creative industries in the European Union finds that creative and cultural industries (CCIs) are well-placed to grow further in the future due to their role as forerunners in digital innovation. >>>

17.   UK PARLIAMENT REPORT ON THE WORK OF ARTS COUNCIL ENGLAND

Commissioned by the House of Commons, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, this report deals with the work of the Arts Council England, providing both a well-rounded critique and precise recommendations. >>>

18.   CULTURE IN THE AGE OF NETWORKS

The book, published in Croatian and featuring an English summary, questions to what extent culture will contribute to overall development aims, i.e., intercultural communication, welfare and social cohesion, reduction of poverty / the gap between rich and poor. The question that also arises is whether there is today enough understanding for cultural diversity and awareness of the importance of education for intercultural dialogue. >>>

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