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Online diskusjon om Kultur i en krisesituasjon.

Profile picture for user Ingrid Radtke.
Ingrid Radtke

? Hold av dato 28. april fra kl 10 til 16 til ny EPALE diskusjon.

? Denne gangen blir det en online diskusjon om et viktig tema som handler om "Kultur i en situasjon med krise".

On Thursday 28 April, from 10 am to 4 pm CEST, EPALE will be hosting an online discussion on Culture in a situation of crisis. The written discussion will be introduced by a live stream (at 10 am), with invited experts: Daryna Zhyvohliadova (PhD researcher and cultural policy-maker from Kyiv, Ukraine) and Julie Ward (Culture Action Europe), moderated by Gina Ebner and Christin Cieslak (EAEA).

Watch the streaming here:

We will discuss whether culture and art are perceived differently in times of crisis and if so, how? What do we mean when we speak of “culture in a situation of crisis” and what kind of scepticism one might have to face when talking about culture during times of seemingly more pressing issues?

Our guest speakers will provide insights into the policy, praxis and personal aspects of the topic. We will also have a look at the cultural scene in Ukraine and will explore whether and how the EU currently supports the persistence of Ukrainian culture. We will discuss what practice examples can teach us about increasing the resilience of cultural endeavours during times of crisis; not lastly, supporting cohesion in Europe.

Guiding questions will be:

  • How did perception of culture and art change in Ukraine over the course of the last weeks?

  • What does culture in a situation of crisis mean?

  • How can we assure the preservation of culture and cultural activities during a crisis? 

  • Is culture exercised during a crisis a luxury or a necessity?

The speakers

Daryna Zhyvohliadova, PhD researcher and cultural policy-maker from Kyiv, Ukraine

Julie Ward, member of CAE Executive Committee and former MEP

Some objectives of the dicussion

With this discussion, we want to provide participants with a kick-off point to discuss culture and art during challenging times and which benefits culture and art can bring for the individuals affected by a crisis, as well as for society as a whole.

We will give an introduction to some challenges, but also the potential that comes with keeping up cultural and artistic endeavours through challenging times.

Particularly, we want to put the focus on the situation in Ukraine and discuss how culture and art might help people process the current events.

You are warmly invited to share your experience and initiatives.

Comments are already open, so you can start sharing your thoughts, resources and suggestions.

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Kommentarer

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Ingrida Muraskovska
Community Hero (Gold Member).
tir 03.01.2023 17:12

Through culture, we create a sense of belonging. Belonging to our nation, our land. It is obtained by singing songs together, reading newspapers and books in your own language. A sense of belonging unites people, gives them strength. Therefore, culture is an integral prerequisite for overcoming the crisis.

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Agnese Lejniece
Community Hero (Gold Member).
tir 06.12.2022 14:19

Atskatoties uz aizvadītajiem Covid-19 pandēmijas gadiem, kad kultūras dzīve bija ļoti ierobežota un klātienes pasākumi nenotika, tad šobrīd varam teikt, ka kultūras pasākumu apmeklēšana ir kā mazie svētki. Arī šobrīd, kad vēl notiek kara darbība Ukrainā, būt kopā ar cilvēkiem un apmeklē pasākumus ir iespēja apzināties cik daudz mums ir dots un jāpriecājas par katru iespēju, kad varam būs sabiedrībā, drošībā un baudīt kultūra. Spilgti atmiņā ir palicis pavasara koncerti Ukrainas atbalstam, kad tiek vākti ziedojumi un dziedātas  patriotiskās dziesmas.

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Sanda ROZE
tor 30.06.2022 15:42

Paldies visiem komentētājiem! Kā solīts, esam izlozējuši divus ierakstu autorus no Latvijas, kas saņems mūsu suvenīrus! Apsveicam!

  1. Anna Vintere
  2. Ilze Ivanova

Ar laimētājiem sazināsimies personīgi.

 

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Milena Screm
tir 07.06.2022 10:16

Learning, enriching one's knowledge and experiences through the various languages and forms of culture - literature, poetry, art, research, science - is a fundamental need of the human being.
Our task is also to know how to activate the right levers for functional curiosity for exploration.
Thanks for this valuable video contribution.

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Sanda ROZE
man 30.05.2022 11:41

I would like to invite all to watch International Conference on the Protection and Rescue of Cultural Heritage organized by National Library of Latvia:

https://www.facebook.com/lnb.lv/videos/728728178270313

 

How prepared are Latvian cultural heritage institutions for emergencies and crises to protect and save the common cultural heritage? 

What action and cooperation is needed to address the threat to cultural heritage or to mitigate the consequences of an imminent crisis? 

What is the international position, world and home experience? 

The conference is organized with a view to sharing experience on the handling of these issues in Latvian institutions, building awareness of cooperation and hearing more experience from those already actively working with the protection of cultural heritage and rescue in crisis situations.

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Christin CIESLAK
tor 28.04.2022 16:04

Thank you to our two wonderful speakers as well as to everybody who has commented and asked questions, provided information and added their personal experiences.

Please feel free to further comment below and stay in touch.

 

As has been said during the discussion: the time to act is now!

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Profile picture for user Ērodeja Kirillova.
Ērodeja Kirillova
Community Hero (Gold Member).
tor 28.04.2022 14:39

Kultūra ir tautas izdzīvošanas spēka fenomens cauri gadsimtiem. Un kultūrai ir liela nozīme jebkuros laikos, jo tieši caur kultūru tauta smeļas spēku izdzīvot par spīti tam,kas notiek tās fiziskajā vidē. Krīze kultūrā iezīmējās jau ar COV-19 laikmeta iestāšanos pasaulē, jo cilvēki saskārās ar ierobežojumiem un prasībām samazināt saskarsmi līdz minimumam. Bet tas neapturēja kultūras izpausmes, cilvēku radošās izpausmes pārcēlās uz digitālo vidi un turpināja stiprināt nogurušos līdzcilvēkus ar saturu un piedāvājumiem,kas novirzīja domas no neziņas un bailēm,kas pārņēma cilvēkus saskaroties ar nezināmo slimību. Bet šajā gadījumā "ienaidnieks" bija kas nezināms, neizprotams un neprognozējams savā attīstībā, turklāt nevienam pasaulē nebija skaidras receptes kā šo slimību apturēt. Bet cilvēki saņēmās, ticēja ka viss reiz atrisināsies, un turpināja viens otru atbalstīt gan emocionāli, gan stiprinot ticību,ka kopā tiks atrisināta šī problēma. Tad pasaulei sekoja nākošais trieciens- karš Ukrainā. Šajā gadījumā ierosinātājs un šī posta nesējs visiem ir skaidri saprotams un definējams. Un atkal kultūra ir tas instruments,kurš tika izmantots pirmais, lai pievērstu uzmanību un aktīvi rīkotos atbalsta piesaistei ukraiņu tautai. Kultūra ir valoda, kurā saprotas visi bez tulkiem. Tā ir valoda ar kuru var uzrunāt ikvienu, un caur kuru mēs atpazīstam lietas par kurām tiek runāts. Tas ir kultūras fenomens. Lai arī cik pretrunīgi Latvijas sabiedrībā tiek vērtēta Latvijas kultūras izpausmes prezentētā dalība 59. Starptautiskajā mākslas biennāle Venēcijā, arī tā runā par aktuālo pasaulē un pievērš, caur kultūras priekšmetiem , pasaules uzmanību norisēm sabiedrībā.  Latvijas ekspozīcija ir viena no apmeklētākajām šajā pasākumā. Tātad secinājums- kultūra runā starptautiskā valodā un caur kultūru mēs atpazīstam kopīgo starp dažadām nacionālajām un etniskajām piederībām. Krīzes ir laika posmi, kad mēs meklējam dažādus jaunus ceļus kā atklāt sabiedrībai savas rūpes un jautājumus,kas mūs satrauc. Un kultūra ir valoda kādā runāt, stāstīt par sevi un integrēties. Kultūra palīdz tautām saglabāt savu unikalitāti un izdzīvot pat visneiespējamākajos scenārijos lai nodotu nākotnē liecības par pagātni.  Lai visiem izdodas saglabāt labāko no tā ko tauta var radīt un lai šis spēks palīdz ticēt,ka visam sliktajam ir risinājums, bet izejot caur šīm mācībām spēsim būt stiprāki nākotnē.

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Thank you Ērodeja for this great insight.

 

Paldies par jūsu komentāru un pozitīvo viedokli par šausminošajiem izaicinājumiem, ar kuriem esam saskārušies un saskaramies pēdējo gadu laikā un jo īpaši tagad. Es patiešām domāju par jūsu teikto, ka "kultūra runā starptautiskā valodā, un, izmantojot kultūru, mēs atpazīstam kopīgo starp dažādām nacionālajām un etniskajām grupām". Manuprāt, šajā apgalvojumā ir liels spēks un vēl lielāks potenciāls mums visiem uztvert kultūru ne tikai kā kaut ko tādu, kas cilvēkiem nepieciešams krīzes laikā, turoties pie tā, kas un kam ir dārgs.

 

Uz jūsu komentāra fona kultūra ir kaut kas, ko izmantot, lai sazinātos ar citiem - cilvēkiem, kuriem sirdij dārgas tās pašas lietas, bet kuri, iespējams, nesaprot jūsu valodu. Iespējams, viņi spēs saprast to, ko jūs mēģināt nodot ar mākslas palīdzību, iespējams, pat bez vārdiem.

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I wanted to share verbatim an email that was sent to me by a British friend who works in tech services. I think it demonstrates perfectly how creative entrepreneurs are coming up with ideas how to help:

"I interviewed a local designer in Lviv who is supporting the resistance via her business. The women are amazing and so creative... The national dress means much more to Ukranians. Wearing it is a form of resistance to Putin. If we too celebrate their culture, we show solidarity with them...

Specialists who work with refugees say it is important to encourage refugees to enjoy experiences in their host countries.  Using crafts to help refugees has been done before.

Love Welcomes  https://www.lovewelcomes.org .

Mending for Good - repurposes clothes, sometimes using embroidery (Bangladeshi style).

Made51 -  UN initiative. This includes pop up markets in the UK.  https://www.made51.org/

Town twinning, programmes in which many of our local communities  share cultural exchange exist, but that could go further with some form of craft exchange and participation in education and markets. Welcome Dinner Hamburg and others, allow for exchange and socializing through taking in turns to cook dinners, cultural exchange in crafts is a variation of this.

Activities could start small scale and informally. (It would require some funding (crowd funding, microcredit) for materials, such as thread and fabric).

Participation at popular small markets is not hugely expensive...

Local councils may be able to offer a pop up location if there was serious interest. Presence at a local market could draw people into our town centers.

If there is potential for financial earnings, and it was viable, the activities could be upscaled to provide women with a source of income in addition to social connections to the community.

Cutlure reaches into everyday life. We remember crafting with our female relatives as children, especially grandmas.  Refugees fleeing Ukraine and other areas, are propelled into new and uncertain existences in far flung countries.  Local Ukranians who have brought their mothers here discuss how traumatized they are.  They need something positive to hold on to. Art and crafts for mental health may help them.

The refugees could exchange sessions about their own crafts with members of the communtiy – eg elderly people who craft or would like to learn to, during informal meetings and sewing bees. All parties can enjoy the social interaction.  The refugees can make friends and practise their English; the isolated elderly people  gain social contact and stimulation out of loneliness.

A studio in London has successfully run courses for elderly people in Somali art and crafts such as textile printing (Hafza Yusuf, from Hafza Studio,) https://inews.co.uk/news/education/somali-art-workshop-lost-skills-heritage-interview-355013

If there was a market for it it could turn into a  more serious business.  Ukrainian fashion has made a big impact: eg brands like Etnodium and some customers pay high prices for items in high street stores which are inspired by or have been made in the Ukraine (e.g. Jigsaw). Could you imagine a small retail outlet where customers can have something special made to measure? An Etsy shop could allow women to work from home and craft without the outlay for a premesis or stall."

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Thank you, Julie,

What a spirit and what an engagement - how creative and wholesome these initiatives are is truly inspiring!

I love how this also supports your argument of providing support in non-monetary ways such as space as one form of support!

 

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Christin CIESLAK
tor 28.04.2022 14:15

Some thoughts that came up during this morning's live discussion were:

 

We need culture to survive and to record what is happening, to support resilience and educate people, therefore it is a necessity that we must protect and uphold.

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Sanda ROZE
tor 28.04.2022 13:53

Latvia has experienced many crises, from the time of slavery till the Soviet Union. And always our weapon has been a song, which is our soft power

I'd like to mention this song created by half-Ukrainian singer here in Latvia, where participated ~40 Latvian singers (in Ukrainian, English and Russian). All incomes from it will be transfered for help:

LATVIA FOR UKRAINE - Resistance

I am proud that we don't only send weapons but also support Ukrainian culture, for example,  by campaign "Let's Save Ukrainian Cultural Heritage". In this campaign our National Library of Latvia prepared a truck full with specific material donated by Latvians: https://www.facebook.com/lnb.lv/posts/10159959109839031

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Thank you, Sandra, for sharing this!

This is a great example of what we have mentioned during the live discussion this morning, namely that culture can be the common ground that brings different actors together and can unity through creativity. 

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Christin CIESLAK
tor 28.04.2022 13:23

Referring to one of the last points discussed during our live discussion this morning - how can we support the citizens of Ukraine - please share any initiatives and supporting programmes for Ukraine you have learnt about.

Here you can find a rough overview of how the EU has supported Ukraine so far.

Here you can find a blog post on Solidarity with Ukraine in times of crisis.

 

Now we would like to hear from you about initiatives and supporting programmes for Ukraine you would like to share.

 

Let's get active now!

 

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Martin Dobeš
tor 28.04.2022 13:00

Though wars bring people unprecedented cruelty, cynism and suffering, history shows these times also bring us unprecedented urge to ask ourselves for the sense of very existence, for the meaning of conflicts inside us, for justification of humanity. Not only that: the same way you can admire a flower in the vast desert, you can also admire a brave act of humanity amidst the sea of cruelty. I believe in all crises in the history of mankind, some of the finest works of culture have been created.

Crises, despite all the suffering, is good for us as it mobilizes us and we feel a task to raise questions. If I may be a bit provocative, too much stability, „peace“ and prosperity make us lazy and ignorant. We need crises in order to change our minds, to fight for values and to invent new thoughts and forms, in culture and elsewhere.

Finally, I would like to add that in this war situation, I expect a new reborn of underground, dissident culture in Russia. I expect new Solzhenitsyn, new Bulgakovs, new Zamyatins. Under socialism, true culture was denied but the more it was denied, the more we (the young ones) thrived to read books from Kundera, Havel or Solzhenitsyn. I believe this new totalitarian system may be destroyed only from within. And culture – the unofficial one – must lead the way….

We – and Russians with us – have to read again novel „We“ from Zamyatin which actually became an inspiration for George Orwell´s 1984. Just to be able to prevent the things described in both books...

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We need crises in order to change our minds, to fight for values and to invent new thoughts and forms, in culture and elsewhere

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I do not like to think of people suffering violence and privation - being denied water, food, warmth, etc because of military bombardment. Women and children suffer disproportionately the effects of war. However, I recognise how the war challenged apathy and provoked huge numbers of people into taking action to defend culture as well as lives and livelihoods. It is true that great art came out of terrible situations and unbearable cruelty and atrocity. We should support the authentic voices and be wary of voyeurism and appropriation by commercial interests. Let's always ask 'Who owns these stories?' Maintaining control of one's cultural production is always important. 

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Christin CIESLAK
tor 28.04.2022 13:26

Som svar på av Ilze Onzule

Thank you, Martin, for opening the discussion on the influence of culture in times of a crisis outside of Ukraine.

Indeed, it is true that we can assume that this war will have a long-lasting influence not only on Ukrainian culture but beyond as well.

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I found it very interesting that Oleg revisited his surroundings in Kyiv in the days/weeks after the war started, perhaps seeing the familiar streets in a new light but also giving time to and attention to things he maybe did not have time to know in the past. Sometimes we are all seduced by far away places we forget to know our own backyard. Faced with an existential threat the local becomes more precious. 

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Karine Nicolay
tor 28.04.2022 12:49

I heard about a nice initiative here in Flanders 'Belgium'. The organisation OPENDOEK (open curtain) calls on theater enthusiasts and associations to set up a local buddy system in collaboration with the municipality for Ukranian (and other) refugees .

Following the war in Ukraine, the Wevelgems Harmonieorkest (an orchestra) approached the municipality with the proposal to receive refugee musicians in local music associations. They try to give people on the run a place in the association through a buddy system.

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Christin CIESLAK
tor 28.04.2022 11:20

As we have discussed this morning, culture is a means to foster resilience and remind people of their roots and what they are fighting for.

What is one of the most fascinating things you have learnt about Ukraine and want people to know?

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Personally, I have been immensely impressed by the power of civil society and self-organised, bottom-up movements; both in Ukraine as well as in my native Poland, which has hosted almost 3 million refugees. So many people are opening up their homes, volunteering at train stations, border crossings and reception centres. What I find fascinating is that while at first sight it seems like a new and sudden phenomenon, it is actually the result of several years of community work of civil society. In Ukraine many initiatives supporting social cohesion and solidarity have been launched since the war in Crimea started in 2014; one of them won our Grundtvig Award in 2016: https://eaea.org/2016/08/08/from-destruction-to-creation-grundtvig-awar…. (Do have a look - you will see how strongly culture and art were represented. An art exhibition in an air raid shelter still stands out to me as an example). In Poland, communities across the country have been mobilizing for the past few years, protesting against far-right policies; many networks have been established or strengthened over time that now play an active role in supporting refugees from Ukraine on the ground. To me, this really shows that a lot of the work that civil society is doing and especially network building can bring results in the most unexpected ways.

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We just need to join up the dots regarding the general public's perception of 'refugees'. Poland's governmental response to the Ukrainian refugees is in sharp contrast to how it treats refugees from Africa and the Middle East. There is clear racism and Islamophobia in policies and practice. Hopefully Polish people can use this moment for education and civil society should build on this outpouring of compassion to educate. 

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I agree with Julie -we have to LEARN  a lot to understand each other in this globalized world. We have to reach mutual understanding - refugees and local people.We have to think how to respect each other, what to gain from each to other, how to live together . These are also problems of the  culture. This COVID period and war in Ukraine requires everyone to think over  where are we now,how to go on.

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Claudia D'Eramo
tor 28.04.2022 10:33

Some initiatives cited by Daryna Zhyvohliadova during the livestream.

To read more about culture crimes:

https://culturecrimes.mkip.gov.ua/ 
https://uaculture.org/culture-loss/

 

Not to advise, but to act, as Daryna told. To help Ukrainian cultural workers and artists a fundraising campaign is active: https://uaculture.org/culture-loss/

 

To access the Handbook on “Cultural Relations in the New Normal" please visit the link:

https://www.cultureinexternalrelations.eu/downloader/download-file?file=2021/07/Cultural-Relations-in-the-New-Normal_handbook.pdf

 

Claudia (EPALE Moderator)

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One of the challenges now is how to avoid a simplistic view of the role of culture and art in times of crisis. Now you can hear that something needs to be destroyed, canceled, forgotten, which is not connected with our identity and culture. This is a political point of view. I would like to warn against such a simplified view of culture.

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Dear Олег,

as you might have heard during the discussion, the experts agreed with your comment and were very grateful for you to be pointing out that we must avoid a simplistic view of the role of culture. As Julie pointed out, culture and especially the support for cultural activities are multifaceted and complex. 

 

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Dear Manika,

thank you for your comment.

As Julie pointed out, support can come in all shapes and forms, and sometimes providing space is already a massive help.

We tried to provide some space and a platform for discussion this very morning with the discussion, and are grateful that you chimed in.

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Claudia D'Eramo
tor 28.04.2022 09:25

Good morning EPALE community!

At 10 a.m. CEST we will host a live-streamed panel to kickstart the online discussion on Culture in a situation of crisis.

Is culture a luxury during emergencies? What is the role of culture and how is it perceived?

What are the challenges and what is the potential?

The comments are already open to your contributions.

Claudia (EPALE Moderator)

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Cultural expressions such as music, dance and narratives may not seem as essentials to life during crisis. However, in different ways, culture does have an important role in a situation of crisis. When horrible events happen, culture can provide comfort and guidance. It keeps you connected with your home, even if that home may never be the same again. Also, cultural expressions can offer stress relief. 

Culture does have an important role during a situation of crisis. In addition, it may have a more important role after a crisis when the period of processing the events takes place. Music, poetry and dance helps to express one's feelings and to mentally process what has happened. 

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