ROUTE 2: Shrinking identities
Culture is said to unite us. Yet it also highlights differences in our approaches and beliefs, and our desires and fears. Culture and arts either bind us to the perspective of a common future or tear us apart because of these (so-called) differences. Many political movements tend to reduce the concept of culture and arts to a weapon that may serve their objectives. How can we protect ourselves from being taken hostage by those movements? Is there a chance to get away from manipulation, especially when the official channels are gripped by propaganda? How can the artist contribute to a culture that erases mental and physical borders? How can cultural identities play positive roles in connecting us at an international level instead of withdrawing into our own shells?
