Date/Time
Date(s): 13/02/2014
Time: 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Location
AAB303, Academic and Administration Building,
Language: English
Admission:
“China-EU Cultural Diplomacy and Dialogue”
Discussants:
– Mr. Stéphane Joly (Director, Alliance Française Hong Kong)
– Prof. Richard Trappl (Director, Confucius Institute, University of Vienna)
– Dr. Gabriele Gauler (Director, Goethe-Institut Hongkong)
Moderator:
– Prof. H Werner Hess (Deputy Director, EUAP)
from left: Prof. H Werner Hess, Dr. Gabriele Gauler, Prof. Richard Trappl and Mr. Stéphane Joly
13 February 2014 – The EUAP and the European Studies welcomed Prof. Richard Trappl as the guest of honour at its second roundtable discussion about China – European Union Cultural Dialogue. Prof. Trappl is Director of the Confucius Institute Vienna, Professor of Sinology at the University of Vienna and Honorary Professor at the University of Political Science and Law Beijing. He has received several awards from both the Chinese and Austrian governments as well as private foundations for his long-term work in promoting understanding between China and Europe. Co-discussants were Dr. Gabriele Gauler, Director of the Goethe Institute Hong Kong and Stéphane Joly, Director of the Alliance Francaise Hong Kong.
Student raising question on the difference between French and German cultural policy in Hong Kong
In the discussion, models of organization and concrete examples of project planning were discussed. All three organizations, although to some degree publicly funded and supported, emphasize intellectual independence from governments as a pre-condition for their work. Cultural diplomacy has evolved from uncritical promotion of ‘home’ countries into the attempt to initiate and sustain permanent dialogue between ‘home’ and ‘host’ country – which also means to be ‘critical of ourselves’ (Prof. Trappl). Successful cultural diplomacy therefore depends on the identification of themes of global, trans-national and trans-cultural significance, as Prof. Trappl explained by using a recent dramatization of Lu Xun’s ‘The Story of Ah Q’ in Vienna. At the same time, cultural diplomacy becomes increasingly ‘localized’ by picking up on local interests and working together with local individual artists, groups or organizations, as Dr. Gauler and Mr. Joly illustrated with a project on the music of Richard Wagner and a cooperation project on creating HK-French comics.
More than 100 students and other guests attended the roundtable discussion.
More about the cultural institutions:
ENQUIRIES
euaphk@hkbu.edu.hk