Remarks at the inaugural press conference of the European Dream Festival, German House, New York, September 12, 2006

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Seen from this side of the Atlantic, looking at Europe usually means looking back. Predominant is the image of the ‘Old Continent’, a ‘First World’ that may have brought forth the cultural and political roots of the New World, but that has somehow missed keeping pace with a new and faster pulse of global technology and communication.

I am delighted to have this opportunity to set things straight, at least a little bit. Old Europe has become New Europe in a breathtakingly short period.

Starting with unification in Germany – no longer an outpost of Western democracy, but rather the new crossroads, the new ‘carrefour de l’Europe’ – in less than two decades this process has brought forth an energy and a wealth of creativity that leads us to count Europe’s entry into the 21st century among the most dramatic transitions known in history.

The words ‘dream’ and ‘vision’ are well anchored in American political vocabulary. They rely on the belief that you must indeed not hesitate to set high goals in order to achieve and sustain progress. Europe has been living this ambition – what I may call the way of concrete vision – for more than two generations now. Political and social goals have consistently been put just a good distance further than political reality at the time seemed to suggest or allow for. And history has proven us right. Today, the European Union, with a current membership of 25 countries and a combined population approaching half a billion people, rather than lagging behind the pace of development, is a spearhead of globalization in its fullest sense.

Together with the disappearance of borders and the strengthening of political, social, and administrative unity in Europe, we experience a growing wealth of vigorous cultural diversity. Here, the long-standing insight that the whole is indeed much more than the sum of its parts, is being realized to full fruition. A new, young and vital ‘C-cube’ – cross-cultural communication has developed to become the very texture of this New Europe, and yet again we experience that cultural dialogue and co-operation, with its direct, immediate and creative approach, often precedes political rapprochement and builds bridges for the more complicated process of building a ‘Union of Nations’.

It has been overdue to bring this New European cross-cultural communication to America, this continent which, in its very own way, has taken up and developed European and non-European cultural influences to build up an authentic and singular identity.

So we are delighted that it has been made possible by several European Cultural Institutes and Consulates and by the European Commission to bring some of the most exciting and innovative artistic productions from this New Europe across the Atlantic and have the New York audience – not known for any period of cultural fatigue - participate in and respond to these, what I now would like to call: ‘European Vibes’.

And this is an appropriate moment to give our heartfelt thanks to our American partners who, with efficiency and enthusiasm, have taken up the idea and made the realization of this exchange possible. More than two dozen of the most outstanding cultural and educational institutions of this great city have actively responded to this exciting project and have already helped to take it further to the foundation of a cultural dialogue and interchange that will long outlive the actual dates of this festival.

I am convinced that this cultural adventure which we are going to embark upon will also serve the wider purpose which it has proven to establish in Europe itself, namely to create a forum of communication which will quite naturally extend to a wider dialogue of societies.

Culture can never, and should never be, an isolated realm of ideas and projects. It will always be a mirror as well as an avantgarde of society – taking up and, often enough, open up new perspectives on issues – migration or technology, environment or civil rights – very much on the minds of citizens and politicians alike.

The main message of this festival, however, must be: Join – and Enjoy!