Felix Meritis Connecting Cultures

05/05/2026

READ FULL TEXT - a Philosophical / Political Encounter, initiated by Linda Bouws, then director of Felix Meritis in Amsterdam, and Joseph Sassoon Semah, took place around midnight on May 4, 2010, on the roof of the Felix Meritis building - the oldest observatory in Western Europe.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TYqIZ4iY9w
On top of the observatory of Felix Meritis on May 4, 2010, the transformation took place from commemorating to celebrating Liberation Day in an action / encounter inspired by basic values such as freedom, and democracy within our pluriform society. High above the city an intriguing meeting took place between twelve representatives of the arts, religion, politics, civil society, business and science, with the help of - Steve Austen, Linda Bouws, Hedy d'Ancona , Ab Cherribi, Sinan Cihangir, Nelleke Noordervliet, Fokkelien Oosterwijk, Farid Tabarki, Jan Voss, Sigal Weissbein-Rozman, Julia Winter, Auke van der Berg and Jom Semah.
The action created by Joseph Sassoon Semah is based on Baruch Spinoza, Tractatus Theologico-Politicus; the text was read simultaneously in Latin, English, Hebrew, Arabic, Dutch, French, Russian, Turkish and German languages.
Please note: The Felix Meritis motto, Connecting Cultures, was the central theme.

14/04/2026

Op 5 mei 2011 hield strafrechtadvocaat Inez Weski bij ons in Felix Meritis De Vrijheidslezing, waarin ze kritisch sprak over de uitholling van vrijheid en de afbrokkeling van de rechtsstaat:

De Vrijheidslezing Amsterdam is een jaarlijkse diepteanalyse van de staat van de vrijheid, zowel in Amsterdam als elders op de wereld, dit jaar gehouden door...

06/12/2025

MANIFEST EUROPEAN HOUSE FOR CULTURE (EHfC)
THE ARTIST AS CITIZEN: TOWARDS A CULTURAL PACT FOR EUROPE (December 2025)

Under the motto ‘The Artist as Citizen’, the European House for Culture (EHfC) affirms that culture and the artist are essential pillars of the European project, standing beside its economic, political, and social structures. Artists and cultural professionals are not peripheral actors but crucial agents who sustain civic participation, strengthen democratic values, and articulate a shared European identity. EHfC calls upon political leadership at all levels to support and embed culture within Europe’s societal and policy frameworks, as culture is indispensable in generating belonging, social cohesion, and civic engagement.
Today, Europe faces intensified polarization, nationalism, and democratic fatigue. In this context, EHfC asserts that culture is never neutral: it remains a strategic force in defending civic values and enabling dialogue across differences. Culture must therefore be recognized not merely as a creative industry or as a commodity but as a cornerstone of democratic life. Art is political, not in the service of parties, but in the service of citizens. Cultural organisations, too, are not passive spaces; they are sites of imagination and possibility, shaping collective responsibility and democratic resilience.

See for more information: https://felixmeritisconnectingcultures.nl/fmcc-ehfc

29/10/2025

European House for Culture:
The Artist as Citizen - Reimagining Europe’s Future – Cultural Engagement for a Democratic Europe
A major conference empowering artists as shapers of Europe’s tomorrow. Three days of inspiration and debate. 13-16 October, EAB, Berlin

For the third time, thought leaders and practitioners from the European cultural scene gathered at the European Academy Berlin to discuss art, civic engagement, and democracy for the year 2025 and beyond. This event aimed to emphasize culture as a public good and empower artists as active citizens.

The European House for Culture (EHfC), under the motto ‘The Artist as Citizen’, champions the idea that artists and cultural professionals are fundamental to Europe’s democracy, identity, and societal health—not mere bystanders but vital contributors to civic participation and inclusion. EHfC urges policymakers to firmly embed culture at all governance levels, arguing that culture unites communities, sustains democracy, and fosters a shared European identity.
https://felixmeritisconnectingcultures.nl/fmcc-ehfc/
https://www.eab-berlin.eu/the-artist-as-citizen-2025-kultur-als-buergerauftrag/

15/10/2025

The Artist as Citizen, Berlijn 23-16 oktober 2025

20/09/2025

"The Artist as Citizen – Reimagining Europe’s Future: Cultural Engagement for a Democratic Europe", a major conference empowering artists as shapers of Europe’s tomorrow. Three days of inspiration and debate.

This meeting, held 13–15 October 2025 and co-produced by Europäische Akademie Berlin and the European House for Culture with the support of Felix Meritis Connecting Cultures, is dedicated to empowering artists as active citizens and visionaries for a democratic Europe. When borders are challenged, the voices of art must rise, envisioning a democratic, resilient Europe together.

Event Highlights
• Closed sessions about the vital role of the artist as a responsible citizen and advocate for a democratic, open Europe, 40 years after the pivotal 1985 Budapest Cultural Forum.
• Dialogues, panels and artistic visons featuring artists, curators, policy makers, and cultural innovators from across Europe.
• “Borderless” discussion, reflecting on Europe’s shifting boundaries with input from figures behind the 2025 European Capitals of Culture.
• A special reception with Her Excellency Dr Ana P***k Petrič, and the Berlin premiere of “Forget me not” by Anja Medved & Nadja Veluscek.