30 events on fours days planned for April next year/ city: "We want to attract visitors from the whole republic"

by Andreas Schinkel, translation by Katrin Kampling

The date is set, and the finances are secured to a great extent. 8 April to 11 April next year, Hannover will experience the nationwide unique "Festival der Philosophie" (Festival of Philosophy) which has attracted about 5000 visitors in 2008. "This time, we will advertise even more, even beyond the city boundary", says Raimund Nowak, head of the städtisches Büro für Grundsatzangelegenheiten.

The circa 30 events which are planned are aimed at everyone and have the motto "Mensch - Natur - Technik" (Humankind - Nature - Technology) - the motto of the Expo 2000 in Hannover. Ten years after the world exhibition, the topic puts itself forward for use, Nowak thinks. The aim were neither a nostalgic view of the spectacle at the time nor a pondering of the effects of the world exhibition in Hannover. "Moreover, we want to show what scientists in the disciplines of art and natural science think about the isseus 'Humankind - Nature - Technology'", Nowak says. A critical view of the exhibition will not be missed out, though.

Again, renowned scientists should dignitfy the festival. Under discussion are for example the renowned philosopher Vittorio Hösle as well as the environmental ethicist Ernst Ulrich von Weizsäcker. Once again, the scholars and their audience convene in unusual places, for example like last year in the AWD-Arena or in the Niki-de-Saint-Phalle-Grotte. "In this regard, we want to go one better in terms of originality", Nowak promises.

Contrary to the festival in 2008 which predominantly featured lectures, this year will have more arguments between the scholars. Two fixed contact points for visitors of the festival in the Künstlerhaus and in another central location in the city are new as well. "Interested parties can get information what happens where there", Nowak says. In these so called lounges, there should be talkative philosophers who are prepared to discuss in-depth discussions on humankind and their position in the world anytime."

"We are going to put an accompanying program with a lot of music and art together", Peter Nickl says, who co-organises the festival and is a lecturer of philosophy at the Leibniz University. He is happy that this time, the response in the philosophical faculty of the university is greater. Historians, theologians and even architects announced their participation.

The festival is financed partly by money from the city, but sponsors are asked to donate as well. The Volkswagen-Stiftung, the VGH and the TUI enterprise already promised their support. "But we have to find further sponsors", Nowak says. After all, the goal was to attain nationwide attention and to add another facette to Hannover's image as city of gardens and fairs - Hannover as a city of intellect.