What is the status of Atlantic relations between Africa, South America, the Caribbean and Europe today? Echoes of the South Atlantic, a conference organized by the Goethe-Institut, asks questions about growing nationalism, the building of new borders, about restitution and cultural heritage.

Until the 15th century, the Atlantic was the clear border between Africa and Europe on the one side and the Americas on the other. The history of crossing the Atlantic followed the well-known narrative of “discoveries”: colonisation, slavery, exploitation, migration – and European prosperity. The exchange between the three continents created a cultural dynamic that fundamentally changed all three continents. The conference focuses on today’s Atlantic relations between Africa, South America, the Caribbean and Europe. International contributors from the arts and research will explore these relations in talks, panels and performances focusing on growing nationalism, the construction of new borders and questions of restitution and cultural heritage.

With keynotes by Paul Gilroy and Achille Mbembe; further contributions by Jean-Pierre Bekolo,Samy Ben Redjeb, Ndidi Dike, Elvira Dyangani Ose, Anita Ekman,Paul Goodwin, Isaac Julien, Michelle (Musa) Mattiuzzi, Jota Mombaça, Mark Nash, Kris Nelson, Gabi Ngcobo, António Ole, The Otolith Group (Anjalika Salgar & Kodwo Eshun), Amilcar Packer,Thiago de Paula Souza, Felwine Sarr, Nadine Siegert, Nanette Snoep, Selene Wendt

The conference Echoes of the South Atlantic is an event by the Goethe-Institut and part of the three-year project of the same name by the Goethe-Institut in South America, Africa and Europe devoted to the current and future role of the South Atlantic. It is part of HKW’s festival Wassermusik: Black Atlantic Revisited.

In English, free admission

More about the program here …
More about the project at goethe.de here …

­

Wassermusik: Black Atlantic Revisited
July 5–27, 2019 at Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin
With concerts by Angélique Kidjo, Gilberto Gil, Milton Nascimento, The Congos, Louis Towers, Maravillas de Mali, Les Amazones d’Afrique, Mario Lucio & Simentera and many others

More about the Festival here