Our second Central-Asian European Creative Forum took place this year between the 21st and the 25th of September in Brussels and even in Antwerpen and was yet another gathering of creatives from Central Asia! The majority of them live and work in Europe now.
We had traditional informal opening at MUSE Gallery at Grand Sablon with some of our participants showcasing their arts and crafts products to our respected international guests! It was also a team-building moment! We had Jewelry pop-up from a Kazakhstani designer, who is based in Paris, Kamila Florentini and showed her collection to all! Also a fashion designer from Turkmenistan, who is based in Paris, Gowher Pirkuliyeva-Gouvernet and whom I met this year in Ashgabat during Turkmen Textile Expo, was showing her beautiful traditional creations!
We began our official part of Central-Asian European Creative Forum at the premisses of EEAS (European Union External Action Service) with a welcoming word from the Head of the Unit on Central-Asia Dietmar Krissler, who underlined the importance of people-to-people contacts between the EU and Central Asia, where the role of bottom up initiative is crucial and leads to such events as ibis annual forum! I took the floor next and explained what our Alliance has done during the last year until today! I tal e also about our future plans and projects!
© photo Yelena van Kharitonova
We had a respected Guest of Honor, Marylin Josefson, who is nowadays an Advisor of Antonio Koshta, the President of the European Council and she was also the EU Ambassador in Tajikistan and the Kyrgyz Republic, telling that the creatives from Central-Asia are dedicated professionals and have to keep the ball rolling and present their creative products and services to Europe! She underlined the role of cultural diplomacy and people-to-people contacts to understand each other much better!
And what a wonderful group of speakers I had from all the Central-Asian countries, speaking about their projects from fashion to up-cycling from Turkmenistan, the role of fashion designers and International Biennales, also about branding of fashion companies from Central-Asia in Europe! Thank you, Malika Norova for the speach! One of the beautiful examples is a fashion designer from Turkmenistan, who lives in Paris is Gowher Pirkuliyeva-Gouvernet, who has been creating her collections on the edge of traditional and contemporary styles!
© photo Yelena van Kharitonova
We had a wonderful presentation of Natalie Giorgadze, a leading lady of Culture Action Europe, who told us about the importance of lobbying for cultural sector and in the EU International Cultural Relations and affairs! During the next day we visited the European Parliament and met an MEP Madame Princi, who is a head of delegation on relations with Central Asia! She underlined the importance of women leadership in creative industries!
Then we had a nice discussion on neutrality and creativity at the welcoming Holland House with a former vice Major of Eindhoven Mary-Ann Schreurs and Ambassador of Turkmenistan Sapar Palvanov! This year Turkmenistan celebrates the 30th Anniversary of its Neutrality Status! We had on our agenda meetings with MAD’s (Mode and Design Center) Creative Director Dieter van der Storm, who gave us a top overview about MAD’s activities and plans! We visited Dries van Noten and Stijl boutique at the iconic fashion street “Rue Dansaert”! We had a memorable visit to the diamonds district of Antwerpen as well as to the fashion street at Nationale Straat! Local MOMU, fashion museum and the archives were also a part of our journey in Antwerp!
© photo Yelena van Kharitonova
Friday the 26th of September was emotional for all our participants and organizers of two connected with each other events: an inauguration of Turkmen Textile Corner at COMET( a new creative hub), where a textile map of Turkmenistan with a beatuful stripe of Turkmen traditional tapestry was opened, spiced-up with a cultural soirée on the occasion of the Independence Day of Turkmenistan, where we, my Alliance and The Embassy of Turkmenistan were featuring arts and crafts, fashion, music, culinary and gastronomy adventures from Turkmenistan!
Thankful to our guest of honor: Gaia Danese, who is a Head of Public and Cultural Diplomacy department at EEAS! She saluted our efforts to organize our annual Central-Asian European Creative Forum our way! The most popular part of our soirée was a fashion show of Gowher Governor brand! And what could we do without the traditional plov, which was gone quickly, with the wind!
What a wonderful act of cultural diplomacy was our second forum! I am satisfied and learned a lot in order to plan the next one!
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