The European City Charter is handed over from Karlsruhe to Lubeck
From left to right: Dr. Harald Ringler, Heinz Fenrich, Annette Borns, Dr. Fritz Pleitgen, Dr. Susanne Asche / Photo: Roland Fränkle, City of Karlsruhe
June 17, 2010
Civic and cultural representatives from Karlsruhe and Lubeck met up in Karlsruhe town hall on the 295th anniversary of the city to exchange ideas and opinions on the significance of culture in future civic life. To mark the occasion the First Citizen of Karlsruhe Heinz Fenrich handed over the European City Charter to the senator for Culture, Education, Youth and Sport of the Hanseatic Town of Lubeck, Annette Borns. Dr. Fritz Pleitgen, chairman of RUHR.2010 GmbH was also one of the invited guests, and spoke about art and culture as a motor for developing the Ruhr Metropolis. The event also contained an entertaining evening of music featuring the “chansonnière“ Annette Postel.
The idea of touring a European City Charter through all the German towns that competed for the title of the European Capital of Culture, first arose in Karlsruhe. It is based on a historic Letter of Privileges dating back to foundation of the city of Karlsruhe in 1715, and which has now led the city to consider afresh the meaning of a contemporary city. Dr. Susanne Asche, the head of the cultural office in Karlsruhe and Dr. Harald Ringler, the head of the civic planning office, presented two projects dealing with Karlsruhe’s contribution of the European City Charter.
Working parties have developed a concept for a new “city exhibition” to be held in 2015, the 300th anniversary of the city. The first steps were taken by experts from the world of art and culture who, after discussing the theme in detail, developed city walks and observed people going about their everyday activities. Finally a number of highly different groups of all ages from different sectors of society, including immigrant members of the community, joined forces to produce a multi-perspective outline. Furthermore the city of Karlsruhe is currently building a new City Museum. Here too people from the city were invited to participate in workshops in order to provide their own ideas and wishes. The main aim behind this is to ensure that everyone can participate in a new form of civic society.