Other events in Baltic States

 The Estonian Academy of Arts (EKA) on Oct. 10 joined the European Alliance of Academies which on the same day also presented a joint manifesto in Berlin, reported LETA/BNS. 

Close to 70 European art academies and cultural institutions gathered for a hybrid conference at the invitation from the German Academy of Arts to form the European Alliance of Academies.

The institutions involved come from almost every country in the European Union as well as Norway and Great Britain -- a strong signal that demonstrates the need for a transnational alliance based on solidarity, especially in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic and its political consequences, national delineations and right-wing populist isolationist fantasies, the alliance said.

The manifesto presented in Berlin sets out the mission of securing the European Union as a cultural project for the future. New forms of cooperation are to be established that guarantee mutual support whenever there is a threat of political restrictions or the freedom of art is at risk.

Academy president Jeanine Meerapfel opened the conference on Thursday. This was followed by presentations by writers Robert Menasse and A. L. Kennedy and publicist Basil Kerski. The internal panels on Friday began with a greeting by German Minister of State Prof. Monika Grutters, followed by perspective views of Europe by art historian Benedicte Savoy and contemporary historian Philipp Ther. Numerous well-known personalities -- Wim Wenders, Ken Loach and Andres Veiel, among others -- lent their support to the "European Alliance of Academies" and used their statements to highlight the need for offensive alliances.

The following are involved in the European Alliance of Academies: the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, the Royal Academy of Arts, Szechenyi Academy of Letters and Arts, L'Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, Real Academia Espanola and Academie Goncourt as well as the Centre Pompidou, the Onassis Foundation and many more.

Rector of the Estonian Academy of Arts Mart Kalm took part in the meeting via Zoom. Also invited to attend the meeting from Estonia was the Tartu department of the Estonian Writers' Union which was represented by chairman Berk Vaher.