About This Project
PEACE. CULTURE. CITY
01. – 03.10.17
Jugend- & Kulturprojekt participated at the International Dresden Dialogue 2017.
Workshop conference on urban peace cultures
The International Dresden Dialogue 2017 brought together delegates from European cities and representatives of citizen initiatives, along with professionals from scientific & academic disciplines and culture and international organisations. In joint workshops, they discussed the tasks, opportunities and challenges for urban cultures of peace.
The three-day event was organised by ‘MEMORARE PACEM. Association for a Culture of Peace’, in conjunction with the City of Dresden. The European Committee of the Regions and the Association of German Cities were also partners of this conference.
Peace culture as public discourse and debate
Urban communication stood at the focus of the International Dresden Dialogue in 2017:
Peace culture was explored as a communication task for neighbourhoods, education, culture and politics.
Cities are spaces of intense communication. Their structures and their identity develop through the interactions of citizens with each other and with the world around them. Prerequisites for an urban culture of peace are public discourse on equal footing and democratic debate.
But how can peaceful communication in our cities succeed – against the background of increasing social disparities, cultural fragmentation, political tension, global challenges and media upheavals? How can the inhabitants of our cities make their voices heard in democratic opinion polls and decision-making? How must urban communication be designed in order to avoid sudden crisis and violence? How can a municipal culture of peace be learned in exchanges with each other? How does productive communication develop between citizens on the one hand and municipal institutions and local politics on the other?
These are the questions that the International Dresden Dialogue 2017 sought to explore and answer.
Starting point of a consultation process
The International Dresden Dialogue 2017 built upon the results of preparatory workshops that were held in Dresden over the past two years. It was, at the same time, the starting point of a long-term consultation process, since it is not sufficient to merely proclaim a culture of urban peace. Such a culture must be formed practically through international exchanges, critical discussions and international cooperation.
Workshop conference and accompanying programme
The International Dresden Dialogue 2017 was organised as a workshop conference with four half-day sessions. Each session comprised of a panel discussion, interventions from the relevant practice and a subsequent round table discussion.
Below is a brief overview of the topics of the conference.
Sunday, 1 October 2017
• Session 1: Neighbours and citizens – Urban communication as a task of integration
• Session 2: Learning peace – Urban communication as an education space
Monday, 2 October 2017
• Session 3: Cultures of togetherness – Urban communication and freedom of opinion
• Session 4: European mayors in dialogue: Urban communication as a task for municipal institutions
Tuesday, 3 October 2017
Session 5 (summary of the International Dresden Dialogue)
• Panel 1: Democracy 2.0 – Does (social) media divide communities?
• Panel 2: The art of living together – Can culture and art unite communities?
The accompanying programme provided an opportunity for a diverse range of exchanges among the participants, as well as with local figures and activists. The public lecture, concert and reception given by the Mayor of Dresden at Albrechtsberg Palace also presented the city from differing perspectives.