News from Berlin - The year 2014 is not a random date in the European calendar: it is an occasion to commemorate the centenary of the start of the First World War. To celebrate the diplomatic bridges that European countries have been able to build, the French and German Embassies in Spain, as well as the Institut Français in Madrid and the Madrid Book Fair, are collaborating on film screenings and conferences.

In May, at the Institut Français in Madrid, three movies will be screened for the cinema cycle ‘La Grande Guerre’: French documentary ‘Léger au Front’, Fritz Lang’s ‘Metropolis’, and the American adaptation of the German novel ‘Im Westen Nichts Neues' (All Quiet on the Western Front). This first step in the commemoration embodies a strong cultural aspect and highlights how Cultural Diplomacy can be a way to bring nations together and to deal with serious issues.

In June, the tone will be more formal. During the Book Fair on June 13^th, a French-German-Spanish symposium entitled ‘1914-1918: Spain Between the Allies and the Central Powers’ will be held. Renowned historians from all over Europe are invited to discuss the diplomatic, military, economic and social consequences of World War I. This symposium is seen as a very strong move towards European policy, as a way to promote Cultural Diplomacy and to strengthen present alliances. Its conclusions will be published on online scientific forums.

News from Berlin – Berlin Global