Finally the time has come: The Jewish-Arab Residency Program of the Joint Center for Art in Givat Haviva has been launched at the 08.11.22. For three month the twelve different academic graduates, Arabic, jews and Germans, will live together at the Campus of Givat Haviva.
The purpose of the program is, to give the participants an experience of artistic creation while living together and open a creative dialogue. They will have meetings, talk, exchange experiences and work together. We were happy to meet them at the opening event of the program and welcome them to Givat Haviva. Anat Lidror, director of the joint art center, said today that:
"It is part of a dream, to guarantee a joint creative platform for Jewish and Arab artists at the beginning of their career. To give them the opportunity to take their first steps in the world of art accompanied by leading artists in Israel who will serve as their mentors in the program, and while dealing with what it means to be an artist in a diverse society like ours.”
We were happy to be able to welcome Guest Doris Gau from Germany, the Head of Office of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia for Business, Science, Education Youth and Culture in Israel, as the representation. The Office donated for the Art Residency Program and makes the program possible. Without this money, the Art-Residency-Program wouldn’t be that today, what it is. Here are some words from her Speech:
“Givat Haviva was and has been our reliable partner for many years. Not only because Givat Haviva stands for democratic values we in North Rhine-Westphalia identify with. We can also learn a lot from you: from your experience in Arab-Jewish dialogue and your attempt to bring together the different groups in Israeli society. After all, our population in North Rhine-Westphalia is also continually becoming more diverse.
This process does not always succeed smoothly. But the Israeli example shows: Diversity and variety are a strength. We still need to learn better how to use them.
And so it was only logical that last year we funded the renovation of a workspace for artists - named ART SPACE "DÜSSELDORF" - a project that established the conditions for launching an Artists in Residence program for Jewish and Arab graduates of art schools - the program that starts today.”
So thank you Doris and Welcome to all new Artists at Givat Haviva!
After a few days later, Mohammed, Director of Strategy at Givat Haviva gave the artists an interesting lecturer about the conflict situation in Israel. He told the young adults, why Givat Haviva takes such an important Part in changing the whole society, to live in a shared Society. He teached the most relevant Basics to understand Israel and gave them enough material to discuss some things after the Content. Now they get the opportunity to use their own Art as an Communication Tool and work and learn together, in a shared and diverse Society.