Why narration is important today in our society ?
Othismos
Academy of Mediterranean Cultural Diplomacy
is a tool of
Peace Keeping and Intercultural Dialogue.
-
Othismos is based on
Highlights, Insights
and Co-Thinking.
Ekphrasis
“Description” in Greek.
Ekphrases is a vivid detailed description and narration of a scene or, more commonly, a work of art.
Through the imaginative act of narration the author may amplify and expand the meaning of creative content beyond any kind of barriers and borders.
A notable example is “Ode on a Grecian Urn,” in which the poet John Keats speculates on the identity of the lovers who appear to dance and play music, simultaneously frozen in time and in perpetual motion.
Gesamtkunstwerk
In 1827 K.F.E. Trahndorff, a German writer and philosopher, used the word Gesamtkunstwerk in his Ästhetik oder Lehre von Weltanschauung und Kunst (Aesthetic or Theory of Worldview and Art).
Bauhaus
Walter Gropius embraced the concept of Gesamtkunstwerk and in 1919 his Manifesto proclaimed the "universally great, enduring spiritual-religious idea..., which must find its crystalline expression in a great Gesamtkunstwerk." Walter Gropius founded the Bauhaus in 1919 as a new type of art school that combined life, craft and art under one roof. Gropius managed the Bauhaus as its director until 1928. Bauhaus was a school that emphasized rigorous training in the crafts along with the fine arts.
Vienna Circle
The Vienna Circle was a group of philosophers who gathered around Moritz Schlick, after his coming in Vienna in 1922. Among Vienna Circle’s members were M. Schlick, Rudolf Carnap, H. Feigl, P. Frank, K. Gödel, H. Hahn, V. Kraft, O. Neurath, F. Waismann. Also K. R. Popper and H. Kelsen had many contacts with the Vienna Circle, although they did not belong to it.
At the meetings, the Tractatus of Ludwig Wittgenstein was also discussed, and there were several meetings between Wittgenstein, Schlick, Waismann and Carnap.
In 1929 Hahn, Neurath and Carnap published the manifesto of the circle: Wissenschaftliche Weltauffassung. Der Wiener Kreis (A scientific world-view. The Vienna Circle).
Vienna Secession
The formation of the Vienna Secession in 1897 marked, quite accurately, the formal beginning of modern art in Austria - a nation at the time noted for its attachment to a highly conservative tradition. It was the coalescence of the first movement of artists and designers who were committed to a forward-thinking.
Jugendstil
Jugendstil in Germany revolutionized and popularized modern design and crafts at the turn of the 20th century. The term Jugendstil, meaning "Young Style," was derived from the magazine Die Jugend, and the style tended toward floral motifs, arabesques, and organically inspired lines and eventually moved toward abstraction and functionalism. Importantly, it emphasized workshops, where groups of designers worked with industrialists for mass production to disseminate products.
The main focus of
"Othismos - Academy of Mediterranean Cultural Diplomacy"
is to protect, empower and promote,
in the 21st Century,
the Mediterranean identity around the world.
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Founder & Director:
Joseph Caristena
Toronto - Canada
One of the key points of Ancient Greek philosophy
was the role of reason, inquiry and
rational observation of the world.
In a such turbolent age like ours, much more is
required (Ekphrases) to understand
where and in what this society is going to be.
Our unique multidisciplinary LIVE performance approach
not only aims at the highest standards of
audience development and engagement, but also to linking theory and practice into full immersive interactive user centric experiences.
Our activities are handled by national and world-renowned authors.
We are fully committed to select unique locations
in Calabria considered as the centre
of the Mediterranean basin, to generate a new "Mediterranean Cultural Diplomacy"
to develop the international community of the 21st century.
We are proud to introduce in all the cultural performances
the oldest narration techniques of the world used by the
ancient greek thinkers called "Ekphrases" and a technique of 1827 called "Gesamtkunstwerk".
The Academy is based on the ancient oratory technique
used over 2500 years ago in Ancient Greece
called "Ekphrases".
Ekphrases was a verbal representation of the visual world
based on aesthetic detailed description,
narration and advanced content architecture.
The cultural performance of the authors called "Mind Journeys"
(developed by Joseph Caristena)
is an updated version of both "Ekphrases" and "Gesamtkunstwerk" techniques.
Our society is shaped by papers at 20% (like costitutions, laws, directives, agreementsat).
The paper based society is shaped at 100% by opinions, discussions, ideas and solutions.
Public debate and dynamic interactive discussions between citizens is extremely important to keep updated the "Acquis communautaire"
of a nation.
Acquis communautaire refers to the cumulative body of European Community laws, rules and policies.
The acquis is dynamic, constantly developing as the society evolves and changes, and fundamental.
Our society is ruled by papers at 20% (like costitutions, laws, directives, agreements, etc.).
But our society is constantly shaped at 100% by opinions, discussions, ideas and solutions.
Our society is based on a never-ending democratic process.
Public debate and dynamic interactive discussions between citizens must be part of the the "Acquis communautaire"
of a nation.
Our society is changing too fast, swivelling around itself without any kind of legal framework, leaving behind laws and policy not updated and align to reality.
A Citizen Science approach seems to be required to help Governments worldwide find quick answers to many questions.
This is an official call to social change makers, global leaders, decision makers and innovators to get engaged and involved to express their most brilliant solutions to a future already here, but not yet properly focused by most of us.
Freedom of expression is a foundation for many other rights.
Freedom of expression is a human right and forms Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Freedom of expression covers freedom of speech and gives individuals and communities the right to articulate their opinions without fear, censorship or punishment.
A democratic society is based on the people being able to hold informed opinions and express them – both in voting booths and more broadly in their day-to-day lives.
It’s important that people are able to ask tough questions to who is in power.
Freedom of expression is a core value in the democratic process.
It ensures people are able to discuss, exchange, and debate ideas.
This human right allows individuals and communities to find information which is important to them and share it with others.
Is culture a key factor in the democratic process ?
How can Cultural Diplomacy trigger the acceleration ?
Is it only an economic development process which cause societies to adopt democratic systems of government ?
Gorodnichenko and Roland (2015)
The objective of culture is no longer only to create art or literature.
The 21st century is culture oriented and based.
"Cultural Diplomacy" is increasingly being used as a vehicle to promote liberal democratic values and to foster "democracy and participation", says Joseph Caristena,
who launched "Othismos - Academy of Mediterranean Cultural Diplomacy".
Culture diplomacy actions are used to foster democratization participation, development, education, human rights and freedom of expression.
The Lisbon Treaty and the UNESCO convention declares that culture should be the mainstream in many development worldwide programmes.
Othismos is in the center of the Mediterranean Sea.
