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Kultur Ensemble in Ramallah© Marco Heyda/includi

Kultur Ensemble: Franco-German Cultural Institutes

About the Kultur Ensemble

In 2019, then German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron signed a new bilateral friendship agreement known as the Aachen Treaty. This treaty included the establishment of Franco-German Cultural Institutes, collectively referred to as “Kultur Ensembles”.

The creation of these Kultur Ensembles within the Goethe-Institut network is a collaborative effort between the Goethe-Institut, the Federal Foreign Office of Germany and the French Foreign Ministry. Franco-German working groups abroad, comprising representatives from the Goethe-Institut, the respective embassies and either the Institut français or the Alliance Française, convene regularly at various locations to support the development and operation of these Kultur Ensembles. This initiative is a key symbol of strengthened European cooperation.

Existing Kultur Ensembles

The first Kultur Ensembles opened in Palermo, Ramallah and Atlanta. Additionally, a symbolic foundation stone has been laid for a Kultur Ensemble in Erbil. Plans for further joint institutes are underway.

Kultur Ensemble Palermo, Italy

The inaugural Kultur Ensemble was established on June 14, 2021. It hosts the residency programme “Atelier Panormos - La Bottega,” which is designed for German and French artists.

Kultur Ensemble Ramallah, Palestinian Territories

The Goethe-Institut and the Institut Français in Ramallah have collaborated under one roof as the Franco-German Cultural Centre since 2004. Following a comprehensive redesign to transform the building into a ‘third place,’ the Kultur Ensemble Ramallah was officially inaugurated on June 8, 2022.

Entrance Kultur Ensemble Atlanta © Goethe-Zentrum Atlanta

Kultur Ensemble Atlanta, USA

The first Franco-German Cultural Institute in the United States was officially opened in Atlanta on 15 September 2022. The Goethe-Zentrum Atlanta and the Alliance Française d’Atlanta have relocated to a new shared premises, enhancing their collaborative programming efforts.

© Goethe-Institut/Willie Schumann

Outlook: Planned Kultur Ensembles

On 22 January 2023, a symbolic foundation stone was laid in Erbil to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Franco-German friendship treaty. In Córdoba, Argentina, celebrations for the soft launch of the Kultur Ensemble took place in November 2023. The Goethe-Institut and the Alliance Française plan to officially open a shared premises there in 2025. Additional Kultur Ensembles are currently under development in Bishkek, Glasgow and Rio de Janeiro.
 

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