Bitef

Konferencija Bitef i kulturna diplomatija: pozorište Igeopolitika, nastojaće da osvetii značaj Bitefa i posebno liderske uloge Mire Trailović u geopolitici šezdesetih i sedamdesetih, te da pokaže načine na koji pozorišna umetnost i pozorišni festivali danas mogu da propituju političke okvire sveta. U tom smislu pozvano je trideset učesnika, a još petnaest izabrano nakon otvorenog poziva, da u dva kruga debate sučele rezultate svojih istraživanja, svoja razmišijanja i vizije, te otvore nove puteve kako razumevanju istorije Bitefa, tako i razumevanju uloge kulture i pozorišne umetnosti u surovoj svetskoj geopolitici, gde zamajd vise nisu samo ideološki ili ekonomski interesi, već emocije, afekti i strahovi izazvani terorističkim aktima, prisilnim migracijama, nasiljem vlasti, korupcijom, represivnim poiitikama sećanja i zaborava... Pozvani učesnici, od uvodničara Žaka Langa (za koga se još uvek u ovom trenutku ne zna da li će lično prisustvovati) do Miše Švidkoja, tu su ne samo kao ministri kulture i stručnjaci za kulturnu poiitiku I kulturnu diplomatiju već pre svega kao učesnici - svedoci bitefovskih početaka i razvoja. Žak Lang, kao rukovodiiac Festivala u Nansiju, partner Bitefa

u mnogim projektima, kao Ministar kulture Francuske, poziva Mim Trailović da upravo ona bude umetnički direkter Teatra nacija 1982. Mnogo godina kasnije, Jovan Grilov u ime Bitefa dobija visoko medunarodno priznanje Premio Europa per il Teatro u Taormini. Ta dva dogadaja ukazuju na značaj Bitefa kao festivala u svetskim okvirima. I drugi učesnici prvoga dana skupa baviće se Bitefom i njegovim mestom u kulturnoj diplomatiji Jugoslavije nekad, ali i Srbije danas. (...) Zadatak konferencije je da promišija festival, ne kao sigurnu luku, ne samo kao susret, razmenu već kao platformu za polemički dijalog, sukob estetika i mišijenja, no pre svega kao „put u buducnost“, kao putanju leta (Delez), u ovom sasvim promenjenom političkom pejzažu. Bitef nema uobičajeno festivalsko ime inspirisano standardnim narativima pozorišnih festivala; dijalozi, konfrontacije, susreti... Bitef, kao beogradski internacionalni teatarski festival uspešno se upisuje u geopolitičke tokove, ne kao sledbenik već kao kustos koji razumevajud kontekst ukazuje na neispričane veze, otvarajud nove puteve kulturne diplomatije, ali još više, istinskih oblika medunarodne kulturne saradnje i raz-

and racial conflicts become the predominant powers in wars and conflicts erupting across the world, Bitef and Belgrade, no longer at the watershed of the worlds but in the centre of a heartbreaking refugee route of destroyed or about to be destroyed cultures and peoples, become the voice of ‘another Europe’, Europe of open borders in spite of fear and humiliation. The conference Bitef and Cultural Diplomacy: Theatre and Geopolitics will endeavour to shed light on the significance of Bitef and in particular on the leading role of Mira Trailović in the geopolitics of 1960 s and 19705, and to show the ways in which the theatre art and theatre festivals can explore today the political frameworks of the world. Thirty participants have been invited and another fifteen chosen after an open invitation to confront the results of their research, their thoughts and visions in two debates and pave new ways towards the understanding of Bitef history and the role of culture and the art of theatre in cruel world geopolitics when the cogwheels are no longer just ideological or economic interests but emotions, concerns and fears provoked by terrorist acts, enforced migrations, violence by authorities, corruption, repressive policies of memory and oblivion...

The invited participants, from the introductory speaker Jack

Lang (we still don’t know if he will be able to come) to Misha Shvidkoy, will include, not only as ministers of culture and experts in cultural policies and cultural diplomacy but primarily as participants-witnesses to Bitef beginnings and evolution. Jack Lang as the manager of Nancy Festival, Bitef’s partner in many projects, then the Minister of Culture in France invited Mira Trailović to be the artistic director of the Theatre des Nations in 1982. Many years later, on behalf of Bitef. Jovan Ćirilov received the lofty international award Premio Europa per II Teatro in Taormina. These two events speak of the importance of Bitef as a world relevant festival. Other participants on the first day of the conference will also address Bitef and its place in the cultural diplomacy of Yugoslavia once and Serbia today.

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