PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS FROM INTERDEPENDENCE DAY VI

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM SEPTEMBER 9-12, 2008

Theme: “The City as Commons in a Divided World”

09/09- TUESDAY PRELUDE: “SPOKEN WORLD” CONCERT AT KAAITHEATER

An introduction to our themes and topics for Interdependence Day VI in a forum of artists, performers, scholars and politicians at our host theater, the notable Flemish Kaaitheater where host Guy Gypens is artistic director.

09/10- WEDNESDAY DAY ONE: THE NEIGHBORHOOD ‘MOLENBEEK’

A day of panels focused on issues associated with local governance and civil society in multicultural neighborhoods with local partners such as Maison des Cultures, Community Centre de Vaarkapoen, and Community Centre Le Foyer – coordinated by Art & Democracy. In the late afternoon, participants joined locals in the streets of the Molenbeek neighborhood for unique walking tours of the area given by local residents. At the end of the day we shared a Ramadan meal prepared by the local neighborhood with a concert by local musicians.

09/11- THURSDAY DAY TWO: THE CITY

The day’s activities will take place in “Les Halles de Schaerbeek,” the Kaaitheater’s francophone partner. The morning panels addressed the ‘rescaling’ of our world today: the role of the nation-state, a new role for cities and city networks, and interregional collaborations. A second panel focused on Brussels and Belgium as a case study for these issues. Here we examined the role of our host city not only as a network of neighborhoods but also the capital of a state and the capital of Europe. Our afternoon panels will focus on “The Art of Common Space” which continues a series of global forums underway since 2007. The day concluded with our September 11th Memorial Concert at Kaaitheater featuring a unique “Brussels/World Orchestra” of musicians and artists who have been part of IDAY for many years — an artistic memorial not just to the victims of 9/11 but to those who suffer exploitation, victimization and injustice everywhere.

09/12- FRIDAY DAY THREE: THE NATION, EUROPE AND THE WORLD BEYOND

On Interdependence Day, we were hosted by members of the European Parliament and the European Commission, where our keynotes, youth roundtable, plenary roundtable and finally our formal ceremonies (including the awarding of the Interdependence Prize) took place, followed by a banquet in conjunction with the European Commission. A closing concert at Kaaitheater featured younger artists and world popular music.