11th European Neighbourhood Festival
The 11th European Neighbourhood Festival will be celebrated on Thursday, 9 May and Friday, 10 May. Founded as an initiative to promote social ties between neighbours, it once again invites you to a colourful and varied programme of events. This year, the focus is on the Czech Republic.
The festival kicks off on 9 May, Europe Day, with the joint singing of the European anthem on Neumarkt square in front of the town hall. The festival will then be heralded by an opening afternoon at the TIETZ. In keeping with this year's focus, everything will revolve around our Czech neighbours. There will be readings by Radek Fridrich from the German-Czech book "Linie S1" and by Milan Děžinský from his poetry collection "Geheimes Leben", which will soon be published in Germany. Petr Mikšíček will also present his film "Legends from the Ore Mountains". The event will be accompanied by the Chemnitz Music School, which will perform Czech pieces. The exhibition "European Traces of Chemnitz Personalities" will also be shown for the first time. The evening will conclude with a buffet of culinary delicacies from Czech cuisine.
10 May will initially be dedicated to the European exchange of experiences. This will take the form of a World Café on the four topics of (1) recruiting volunteers/recruiting young talent, (2) cultural work in connection with the Chemnitz Capital of Culture application, (3) programmes on diversity, migrants and peaceful coexistence and (4) European cooperation in civil society/established societies and new ones being founded. In addition to interesting discussions, the foundations can also be laid for future co-operation between various players.
Finally, the European Neighbourhood Festival will begin at 2 pm in the Rosenhof. It offers an extensive stage programme with music by the Petra Börnerová trio and the Ensemble C of the music school under the direction of Andreas Winkler. The Little Ballerinas of Kolorit e.V., the Cinderella SDC Chemnitz e.V. and the East Dance Company will provide a dance programme. In addition, various clubs and organisations invite visitors to take part in numerous hands-on activities at their stands for sport, fun and games as well as art and creativity. From archery, a bouncy couch and a goal-shooting wall to a European puzzle and quotes from Nobel Prize winners in literature, exciting activities await young and old alike. Visitors will be spoilt with culinary delights from Chemnitz's twin cities.