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Interest in the German-Israeli Literature Days Increasing

April 07th, 2014
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News from Berlin - The German-Israeli Literature Days got underway on Saturday in Berlin and Frankfurt (Oder) and will continue until April 13th. The event, which is organized by the Goethe-Institute and the Heinrich-Böll-Foundation, is held in German and Hebrew and includes readings, discussions and presentations of relevant films. This title of the annual gathering is ‘Glaubenssachen’ which encompasses discussions and clashes regarding faith, different religious views, the role of religion in today’s society, whilst also dealing with the question of whether literature provides a platform to adequately assess the aforementioned issues.

The Literature Days have been organized since 2005 and usually alternate between Berlin and Tel-Aviv. The event is supported by the Federal Agency for Civic Education (bpb) and the Israeli Embassy in Berlin. In terms of the subject matter of the event, it can be said that the speakers and audiences analyze and contrast the role of religion in Germany, which has achieved considerable secularization, and Israel, which defines itself as a Jewish state. Here, the main question to be considered is religion’s influence in each country’s culture, ability to solve conflicts and societal norms and customs. The relevance of the event and exchange between Germany and Israel can be found in the two countries’ historical connections. A further point is that, currently, more than 20,000 Israelis live in Berlin, with interest amongst young people in each other’s country steadily increasing.

Previous ‘German-Israeli Literature Days’ have been hailed as successes in Israel and Germany and it can be said that interest in the event series is steadily increasing. This current edition lasts until Sunday with audiences being able to witness numerous discussions and readings. More information can be found on http://www.goethe.de/ins/gf/de12386378v.htm.

News from Berlin – Berlin Global