Progress report of the Divided God project:

Realization of the 4th part of the project that took place between the 24th of October and the 4th of November 2007 in Berlin

Like in previous exchanges young filmmakers and young people who are interested in intercultural dialog from five European cities (Berlin, Istanbul, Ljubljana, Mostar and Novi Sad) participated in the project.  

 Contents of the exchange in Berlin:

• presentation of finished video productions that were created in previous exchanges
• visits and acquaintances with various religious communities in Berlin
• video research
• public discussion

The main public event was public presentation that was prepared by partner organization, the Balkan Black Box from Berlin, in the Münzsalon. The evening was divided in two parts: in the first part selected video productions from Mostar, Novi Sad and LjubljanaCambridge), Klaus Buchenau (OEI, Berlin), Boris Buden (Berlin) and Zoran Terzić (IFK, Vienna) participated in the debate. There were many outside visitors beside the participants of the project and members of the club present at that evening. were screened and after a short break short lectures, titled The Real Believers? and Political Renaissance of Religion and Cultural Identity took place in the second part. Eminent experts from the field of humanistic, intercultural studies and art such as Azra Akšamija.

In the time of young participants' staying in Berlin they were participating in many informative presentations, lectures and debates. They have visited the biggest mosque in Berlin and different Islam communities and they religious representatives, Jewish community and the old synagogue, atheistic community (Freikirchliche gemeinde), scientology church and evangelic church. We have also visited the Slovenian catholic mission and Izidor Pečovnik – Dori, a priest who is working in the St. Elisabeth's church. Tons of material was filmed in ten days.

Other subjects that had our attention and are specially worth mentioning are: the question of cultural integration of Turkish community in Berlin, the question of liberal practice of homosexuality and the relations of homosexuals towards religion, presentation of Berlin as the capital of atheism… We worked on the portrait of Izidor Pečovnik – Dori who's progressive points of view and worm contact with people exceeds the frames of Slovenian community and represents an important part of Berlin's multicultural mosaic.

Video and photo material will be finalized until the end of the year 2007.

Our next plans are:

With the 5th part of the exchange, the Istanbul part, that will took place in April 2008 we will round up video research and theoretical discussion.

The final part of the project will take place in June 2008 at the conclusion of Slovenian presidency of the EU in Ljubljana.

This last part would in a content sense represent evaluation and synthesis of the whole project. There will bi public presentations of the productions that were created in the project (beside video productions also a publication that will contain a selection of theoretical texts).

A special part of this part will be a two day symposium in which the theoretical experts will participate, the experts that were collaborating and giving lectures during the project (invitations will be send to Drago Pilsel, Mirko Džorđević, Tomislav Žigmanov, Zorica Kuburič, Rajko Muršič, Boris Buden, Klaus Buchenau, Zoran Terzič, Azra Aksamija…) and we will also invite other individuals and partners that were participating in the project or will do so at it's conclusion.

We are counting on our previous co-financers and also on other resources that we intend to get with the help of public applications to conclude the expenses of the final part of the project. We are currently discussing with MOL (Office for youth) and the mayor Zoran Jankovič (who were already participating in the project) for the sponsorship of the event.

Report: Drago Pintaric