The Power of Culture

On 1 December 2005 the conference 'The Heart of the Matter' will be held in The Hague, discussing the part culture can play in integrating the Balkan into the European Union. Violeta Simjanovska considers art and culture to be the basic elements for continued social, cultural and economic development.

The Ruciteme Drumming Group will be touring through Burundi in the coming months. But this will not be an ordinary tour. The musicians will present an ode to heroes of the Burundi genocide that took place eleven years ago.

"Where do you draw the line in order to protect the artist’s freedom of expression?,'"asks Sharad Haksar, renowned Indian photographer. Haksar was recently threatened with a law suit by Coca Cola (India) for allegedly hurting their reputation with his hoarding on the shortage of drinking water in urban India.

Chirikure Chirikure draws strength from the cultural history of his country, Zimbabwe, which currently stands on the brink of economic and political ruin. This poet, writer, singer and organiser has had to deal with physical threats both direct and indirect, as his son has been threatened too. Nevertheless, Chirikure says: 'The age-old Shona tales, the music, the carvings, the language - I draw strength from these to carry on.

'Culture is the heritage of the people, indestructible and forever,' says Burmese poet Tin Moe.

The wall on Jordan's West Bank poses a threat to the health of Palestinians in that area. Palestinian and Israelian artists work together in a campaign against the wall and the fence.

On Tuesday morning 2 November 2004, Dutch director Theo van Gogh paid for his continual strong criticism of Islam with his life. He was ‘ritually’ murdered by a Muslim fundamentalist. Ever since, the film world both inside and outside the Netherlands has been in a state of confusion, wondering: where do we go from here?