ECP / TAD FORUM 2024

- Where culture is brewed not empty-talked

An interview with François Carbon, Compassionate Pedagogue

by Zoltan Tajti designed

Before talking about the conference, I would like to introduce you to our readers. You were the first strategic advisor for cultural affairs to the rector and name giver to Espace Cultures. You helmed that office for eighteen years. During that time, you also initiated TAD and became a member of the European Cultural Parliament. Can you tell us more about the timeline of all this?

Around the birth of uni.lu, twenty years ago, I met the rector in his office and told him that the university should have an office that would establish connections between cultural institutions in Luxembourg and our university. The idea was given the green light, so I started working on these connections. The work then involved very little office work and a lot of travelling and meeting with people who work in Luxembourgish culture.

In 2006, I welcomed a European study tour delegation coordinated by Dr. Judy Rogers of the Miami University in Ohio, where I met some truly remarkable people. We have agreed to do something together; something related to culture.

In 2014 there were 362 participants. In 2017 there were 620 participants from 32 networks; the guests included

In 2014 there were 362 participants. In 2017 there were 620 participants from 32 networks; the guests included

ambassadors, public officials, and government representatives. Then, unfortunately COVID hit, and I decided to retire - both from the university and from TAD.

But now you’re back! What can we know about this year’s event?

We have managed to pick up the threads where we had left off. We have received 35 proposals for presentations. We will have numerous plenary and breakout sessions with international speakers presenting and doing workshops in two days and an openair concert! Once again, half of the participants are from the US, the other half from Europe. The event is for free - one only must register* on our website and commit to show up!

What is TAD about?

First and foremost, TAD is for students. Secondly, the events are interactive in the strongest sense of the word: the presentations and the workshops and not simply about listening to talks. The events include interactive methodologies touching brain and human emotions; TAD is about cultural dialogue, but cultural dialogue is not talking about culture – it is doing and experiencing the essence culture together. So, that is what we do. On the conference events, we create culture from scratch, together, thus making an inclusive and intercultural lifelong learning process happen.

*register here: https://www. transatlanticdialoguelu.com/

Soft Power in Uncertain and is about “Building Bridges for Culture, Diplomacy, Peace, Trust, & Compassionate Leadership in an ongoing Changing World”

European Cultural Parliament: http://www. kulturparlament.com/