catalogues, brochures and greetings word

catalogue - "good morning, balkan" 7 - european forum alpbach, 2008

  • katalog

erhard busek-president of eropean forum alpbach

„good morning balkan“ is an evocative title. it links memories of a dark and possibly unpleasant night that lies behind with the hope for a new beginning ahead. “good morning balkan” echoes “good morning vietnam”, a film that tells a story of anarchic humour in the midst of a grotesque war. “good morning balkan” can be interpreted as a friendly greeting, but it is also a wake-up call.

this wake-up call, in my opinion, goes out more than anything to the politicians and economic decision-makers outside the balkan region, especially in europe. to understand the wake-up call correctly, you have to be clear about the fact that to say “good morning balkan” is not so much a memento pointing to the dark past of the 1990s, but much more an invitation to seize the manifold opportunities that the balkan region offers today – politically and economically.

the invitation is equally valid for each and every member of the general public. it is an invitation to get to know the countries of the balkan region. there are cultures waiting to be explored, people to be met, stories to be told.

with his project “good morning balkan”, fate velaj has created an ingenious way of expressing the state-of-mind of the balkans. with pieces of art that immediately grip the beholder’s imagination, he presents to the world a cross-section of the region’s memories, interests, worries and hopes. it is a reminder of the fact that there is a lot of constructive and creative energy in the balkans, and there is much that the people there can teach to the rest of the world .i am very proud to present “good morning balkan” to you here in alpbach.


boris nemsic – ceo mobilkom austria

the balkan region, more than almost any other, has been marked by the political and social changes it has experienced over the past twenty years.  today the balkans are a region of heterogeneous and small nations, a "melting pot" of ethnic, cultural, religious and economic differences – and it is exactly this which makes the area so exciting. the art and culture scene in the balkans has also developed rapidly, for art has long been closely linked to social change and has always been a pioneer for mutual understanding and cultural exchange. art can help us come to terms with the past and can build bridges between countries and cultures.
"think global, act local" is a guiding principle for the mobilkom austria group, and so the acceptance and conscious exchange of unique cultural characteristics within the group is especially important. with innovative projects such as the exhibition "good morning balkan," we want to help build bridges between the countries of southeast europe. the goal of this commitment is to show how important it is for all people, and especially for a future europe, to recognize other culturesin all their individuality.


fate velaj – chairman of forum weltoffen international

as chairman of the forum weltoffen (open world)and as curator i see this exhibition in European forum Alpbach as a good opportunity and as better possibility to meet and to present the challenges, the hopes and the new importance of south-eastern europe.
it is also an occasion to reflect on the cultural achievements of today's balkans-19 years after the collapse of the iron curtains and to inform as well as a source of enrichment and deepening the cultural relations between the countries of this region and european union.