cultural festival die nächte des ramadan (ramadan

CULTURAL FESTIVAL
DIE NÄCHTE DES RAMADAN
(RAMADAN NIGHTS)
Ramadan – a time of fasting and nocturnal celebration – offers an
opportunity for cultural events in many cities around the world after the
nightly fast-breaking. Along with the "Ramadan Nights" in London and
Tokyo, and "Les belles nuits du Ramadan" in Paris, “Die Nächte des
Ramadan” in Berlin are firmly rooted in the city's cultural calendar and are
unique in Germany. With concerts and performances, film and literature,
discussions and collective fast-breaking, “Die Nächte des Ramadan” seek
to provide an insight into the past and present of various Musliminfluenced cultures.
First established in 2008 in the “Kulturbrauerei” in Prenzlauer Berg with “Die
Nacht nach Ramadan", from 2009 to 2014 the city-wide cultural festival “Die
Nächte des Ramadan” presented artists at the Museum of Islamic Art, Open-Air
in front of the Old National Gallery, as well as in Berlin's historic centre and the
Heimathafen in the district of Neukölln during Ramadan. In the last years even
more partners and locations opened their doors for the festival. Among the old
network partners, the FHXB Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg Museum, the turkish
theater Tiyatrom, the Arresalah mosque and the Şehitlik mosque were found.
Selected Berlin Musicians presented their different cultural imprints, from tradition of
the past to modern experiments with transcending genres, all with the focus on Fest
der Vielfalt in Berlin (Festival of diversity in Berlin).
“Die Nächte des Ramadan” offer an insight into various traditions of the Muslim
culture and its contemporary developments, with concerts, performances,
readings, films, discussions and activities for children. In themed guided tours
and workshops at the Museum of Islamic Art, children and adults become familiar
with the most important aspects of Muslim-influenced art, culture and traditions.
In collaboration with the festival partners, an innovative and open programme
has been curated, which allows Ramadan to be experienced in the cultural city of
Berlin.
Thanks to this interdisciplinary concept and the close cooperation of many
partners, “Die Nächte des Ramadan” has created a bridge between cultures. The
collaboration of numerous stakeholders, multipliers, organisations and
associations has created a broad network for dialogue and has been crucial in
establishing a common platform for mutual support and cross-marketing activities
regarding the Ramadan celebrations. The collective Iftar dinners have been
especially valuable for this, to which all the festival partners were invited.
Especially in Berlin, the city with the largest Muslim population in Germany,
Ramadan should be recognised as a cultural highlight, whose festive character is
reflected in the cultural offer of the city and offers a further element to support the
city's integration policies.