CULTURESCAPES Festival: 1 November - 6 December 2008 

 

This year, the CULTURESCAPES festival is playing host to Turkey. For over a month, this country will be guest of honour at the festival, enabling us to view it from a new perspective.

 

In fact, Turkey is a country with which Switzerland has more in common than you might think: historical links that date back to the foundation of the Turkish Republic; close economic relations; a culture rooted in tradition; an environment in which many languages and religions coexist. This year, we are also celebrating eighty years of diplomatic representation of Switzerland in Turkey. On that note, I will be conducting an official visit to Turkey in November to commemorate this anniversary.

 

An heir to great civilisations, Turkey, like Switzerland, is a meeting point. Due to its geographic location straddling two continents, Turkey forms a bridge between different cultures: Oriental, Western, Mediterranean and Islamic.

 

Yet despite all their similarities and relations, and despite the presence of a considerable Turkish community in our country, Turkey and Switzerland know relatively little about each other. The CULTURESCAPES festival will provide an opportunity to find out about aspects of Turkey that are sometimes little-known, and to share in the rich cultural heritage of its literature, cinema, theatre and, in particular, its music. The Swiss public will be able to witness the extraordinary vitality of contemporary Turkish culture.

 

The diversity of the cultural spectrum on offer at the CULTURESCAPES festival is only possible thanks to the commitment of its organisers and, in particular, its founder, Jurriaan Cooiman. I would like to express my warmest thanks for all the work they have put into organising the event again this year – an event which is aspiring to become a national festival with concerts and performances taking place in towns and cities across Switzerland.

 

Welcome to the 2008 CULTURESCAPES festival – I hope it leaves you moved and inspired!

 

Cultural activities are important instruments for developing relations and mutual understanding between peoples. Furthermore, these activities display in today’s global world how the cultures are interconnected and interact with each other. Festival Culturescapes being organized since 2003, plays an important role in this regard and contributes to the promotion of the annually chosen guest country in Switzerland.

It gives me great pleasure that Turkey was chosen as this year’s guest of Culturescapes and I would like to express my sincere thanks to the festival management.

Relations between Turkey and Switzerland are strong and have a long historical basis. Our relations are being more intensified within the framework of mutual understanding and shared common values. Our cooperation is being developed not only in bilateral basis, but in international fora as well.

The Turkish community, existing more than 40 years in Switzerland, currently numbering more than 110.000, constitutes a very important bond between the two countries and a strong potential for improving bilateral relations. It also establishes a friendship bridge between Turkey and Switzerland.

Thanks to its geographical location as well as its historical and cultural connections, Turkey enjoys a broad cultural variety and richness. This richness in the field of music, cinema, literature etc. goes beyond its borders and is appreciated by the international community.

Through the Festival Culturescapes 2008, it is aimed at presenting several dimensions of this richness. Our Swiss friends will have the opportunity to be acquainted or further experienced with Turkish art in various branches such as music, dance, theatre, literature and cinema. I believe that the performances during the festival to be held in different cities of Switzerland will attract attention and be appreciated.

I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the organizers, sponsors and participants of Festival Culturescapes 2008 which enables to show Turkey’s cultural richness in Switzerland. I hope everybody will enjoy it.