Under the title "The Arts and Migration(s): Reflections and Responsibilities", the annual conference of the European Alliance of Academies It will be held from October 27 to 29 in Valletta, Malta, organized by our Alliance partner, the Malta Arts Council. The sessions can be followed via live stream on the Alliance's channel. European Alliance of Academies.

The discourse on migration in Europe is increasingly shaped by right-wing forces, which present it as a threat in the public debate. However, migration is a global phenomenon with historical roots that has always been an integral part of artistic and cultural evolution. The aim of this conference is to reframe the issue of migration and discuss it as a living phenomenon of great importance to art and culture in Europe.

El Círculo, Casa Europa[Organization Name] has been part of the Alliance since its founding in 2020, and since then, numerous projects have been undertaken among the more than seventy European cultural institutions that comprise it. The network has strengthened its role as a guardian of freedom of artistic creation and expression, denouncing threats to it and promoting values ​​such as democracy, justice, and human rights through culture.

Monday, October 27 |

6:00 PM - Climate Café

This edition addresses the consequences of climate change on migration, focusing on three elements: air, water, and land. Topics covered will include the phenomenon of migratory birds, the sea as a force of nature, and the needs and conditions of climate refugees. Participants include Christina Lejman and Albert Delia (MOAS, Migrant Offshore Aid Station), writer Cécile Wajsbrot, and artists Jovana Popic and Petja Ivanova.

Tuesday, October 28

10 a.m. to 13 p.m. - Welcome (Internal Event)

With Manos Tsangaris – President of the Akademie der Künste, Berlin and Luke Dalli – Executive President, Arts Council Malta.

2:00 PM to 4:30 PM - Meetings with local cultural organizations (Internal event)

Diversity and integration through art and culture in society. Participants include Rosa Kwir – Malta's first gallery dedicated to the LGBTQI+ community, Magna Żmien – an archive of Maltese memories for artistic practice and research, Dance Beyond Borders – using dance as a tool for intercultural connection, and Refugee Week Malta – a cultural festival connecting Malta with the voices and experiences of displaced people. Moderated by Simone Inguanez – Arts Council Malta.

17pm - Welcome and introduction (Public event)

With Valerio Rocco Lozano (Círculo de Bellas Artes), Nikki Petroni (Arts Council Malta) and Manos Tsangaris (Akademie der Künste).

17:10 PM to 17:30 PM - Opening Conference (Public Event)

“Words Matter” by Cécile Wajsbrot – Writer, member of the Akademie der Künste, Berlin.

17:30 p.m. to 19 p.m. Round table (Public event)

“How can artistic practices transform the perception of migration?” Participants include Darrin Zammit Lupi – Photographer (Malta), Dominika Kasprowicz – Director of Villa Decius (Poland), Osvaldo Costantini – Cultural Anthropologist, Sapienza University (Italy), and Steffen Mensching – Writer, theatre director, member of the Akademie der Künste (Germany). Moderated by Prof. Daniela DeBono – Head of Department and Associate Professor, Department of Anthropological Sciences, University of Malta.

19:00 p.m. – 19:15 p.m. Music (Public event)

Kantera's performance

Wednesday, October 29
09 to 11 a.m. - Internal meeting 

11 a.m. to 12 p.m. - Declaration (Public event)
“The Arts and Migration(s)”. Public presentation and discussion with: Manos Tsangaris, President of the Akademie der Künste, and Jeanine Meerapfel, former President of the Akademie and promoter of the European Alliance of Academies