News

STILL SO MUCH TO BE DONE – NEW EFA BOOKS SERIES LAUNCHED

7 December 2006

PRESS RELEASE STILL SO MUCH TO BE DONE – NEW EFA BOOKS SERIES LAUNCHED Anne-Marie Autissier, Frans de Ruiter, Rik Pinxten, Dr. Volker Hassemer and European Commission President Jóse Manuel Barroso write on the legacy of Denis de Rougemont. European Festivals Association (EFA) launches its first book of a new EFA BOOKS Series: ‘Still so much to be done: Challenges for Culture in Europe’ presented in Amsterdam during the Forum Amsterdam - The Role of Cities in Building Europe organised by the Felix Meritis Foundation www.felix.meritis.nl on Sunday, 10 December 2006. "Still so much to be done" is an anthology assembled on the occasion of the centenary of the birth of Denis de Rougemont, founder and first president of EFA. It features prominent European cultural scientists, professionals and politicians including Anne-Marie Autissier (Paris VIII University), Frans de Ruiter (Leiden University), Rik Pinxten (Ghent University), Dr. Volker Hassemer (Spokesperson of the initiative “A Soul for Europe”) and European Commission President José Manuel Barroso (nota bene a student of Denis de Rougemont). The authors study the notion of culture from historical, philosophical, political, cultural and, sometimes very personal perspectives. The way they draw the line from immediate post-war integration to the meaning of culture today and its challenges in the future make this anthology an important reflection on the key role the arts, artistic expression, cultural networks, such as EFA and civil society engagement, have in the building of an open European civil society. The anthology includes an introductory essay by EFA Secretary General Hugo De Greef and a preface by EFA President Darko Brlek. “Festivals with their millions of visitors are ideal partners to make the public aware of Europe as a cultural story” according to the EFA President. The new EFA BOOKS Series is but one of the initiatives taken by EFA to underline its commitment to this message and to respond to de Rougemont’s reminder that there is “Still so much to be done”. The book is distributed to a large public including the festival sector, national and European politicians, cultural and civil society networks, universities and the press. Several new publications e.g. on festival sponsoring and training & education are in preparation. See the pre-announcement and the programme of the book presentation during the Forum Amsterdam at the Felix Meritis Foundation. Still so much to be done: Challenges for Culture in Europe Editors: Hugo De Greef and Kathrin Deventer Authors: Anne-Marie Autissier, Frans de Ruiter, Rik Pinxten, Volker Hassemer, José Manuel Barroso Publisher: European Festivals Association, D/2006/11.106/1 ISBN: 9789081140416 Number of pages: 207 Language: English Price: 15,00 euros (for EFA members 10,00 euros) To order EFA BOOKS 1 see www.efa-aef.eu Contact person for more information: Kathrin Deventer, Press & Communication Kleine Gentstraat 46 9051 Gent / Belgium T +32 9 241 8080 Kathrin@efa-aef.eu Reviews Review IFACCA Review Culturelink Interview with Hugo De Greef in "De Standaard" Letzebuerger Journal.