Goethe-Institut celebrates 50th anniversary

COLOMBO: The Goethe-Institut, German Cultural Centre in Colombo, celebrates its 50th anniversary in the year 2007 with several programmes related primarily to Buddhism. From February to December projects will take place in Colombo and elsewhere dealing with art-related issues of the culture of Buddhism.

August 21 - Inauguration of a special art exhibition of original paintings, films and installation curated by Cora de Lang: “The Truth is Unbelievable” - a life work by Ven. Bhikkhu Sumedha.

This approx. 70 years old monk who recently passed away was a reputable painter, who has been living in a cave near Kandy for many years. The combined Buddhist and artistic challenge has been for Bhikkhu Sumedha to not only visualize Buddhist thought, but to give it an aesthetic form that thus creates art within and without Buddhist connotations.

August 22 - Conference by Dr. Karl-Heinz Golzio, University of Bonn: “Contributions of Germans to the Buddhist Studies in Sri Lanka”. Talk organised in collaboration with the German Dhammadutha Society to shed extensive light on the century old relationship and friendship between the two countries.

August 23 - The core part of the Buddhism project, however, will be in Kandy during the Perahera in August. This programme is supposed to be a two days seminar on the topic “Buddhism and Youth”.

As a follow up to our programmes related to youth issues in 2005 and 2006, we’ll focus our attention in 2007 onto the relationship of young people and religion, particularly Buddhism, the inter-religious dialogue and interactions between cultures.

Human action, normative and especially ethical questions will be the focus of the conference and seminar in our main programme complex of this year of the 50th anniversary of the Goethe-Institut, German Cultural Centre in Sri Lanka.

The seminar deals with specific forms of religiousness, violence and human dignity. The Communication about values (how do values arise and how does communication about them function) will be looked at as a central value complex for today’s society as a backdrop for the formation of human rights and for our belief in a universal human dignity.

For this programme the Goethe-Institut will work together with the Department for Pali and Buddhist Studies at the Peradeniya University. Additional topics to be discussed:

* How strong is the influence of Buddhism (and/or other religion) on the lifestyle of the youth (in Sri Lanka)? Is the daily life’s philosophy of the youth connected to or even determined by their religion? Which role does Buddhism play when one is confronted with fundamental problems?

Buddhism is often portrait as a tool, even a recipe for life for the individual. In contrast to other religions Buddhism is always seen as a way to solve one’s problems oneself. But then, is it also relevant for a whole community? The seminar will be held in English. An interdisciplinary approach is intended.

August 23 - Evening programme: Presentation of the musical “Ratnavali” - touching upon the split of Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism in Sri Lanka in ancient times.

September 8 - (a) Gala Concert with German and Sri Lankan musicians - paradigmatic for the work of the German Cultural Institute, new music and old music played in a new way (i.e. the Concerto for 2 violins by J.S. Bach with sitar, cello and piano, (b) Reception on the lawns of the Goethe-Institut, (c) Release of the 50th Anniversary Commeroative Booklet, (d) Exhibition of the posters created on the occasion of the 50th anniversary, (e) Web-project: Poster-Quiz.

September 10 - “Return to sender” - a modern Dance performance by Helena Waldmann and its troupe from Germany. In collaboration and at waters Edge supported by Srilankan Airlines.September 23 - Gala Concert with the “Signum Quartett” from Germany (In collaboration with and at the British School in Colombo).

November 13-20 - Exhibition on Youth: “Jung.de” - addressing the issue of learning the German langauge around the world.

December 10-18 - Exhibition of panoramic photographs and photographic workshop with Jaroslav Poncar, university of Cologne, Germany.

Poncar has travelled extensively through Buddhist regions, particularly in the northern part of India.

He will display magnifico photographs from the Himalayas, Tibet and Ladakh, Buddhist monasteries sprinkled in the enormity of endless alto plains.