Researchers from RWP2 Participated in the Velvet Carnival

In November, a four-day program took place at Campus Hybernská in Prague, combining a lecture by Prof Eric Corijn, strategic planning, working meetings, and the 4th Symposium on Public Festivities dedicated to the role of creative parades (Neo-Parades) in European cities. Researchers Dr Olga Cieslarová from the Faculty of Arts and Philosophy, University of Pardubice, and Dr Martin Pehal from the Faculty of Arts, Charles University, participated in the event on behalf of the research team.

The program, prepared in cooperation with the Swiss and Belgian embassies and the FOR_UM initiative, emphasized that urban resilience is not only created through technical measures but also through urban rituals, culture, and participation, and directly followed up on the creative festivities of the Velvet Carnival in the centre of Prague.

The evening debate “Urban Festivals, Public Space, and Democracy” (Městské slavnosti, veřejný prostor a demokracie) presented six European festivals and opened a discussion on their potential to strengthen inclusion and democratic participation with the participation of representatives from academia, cultural institutions, and diplomatic partners.

The Velvet Carnival draws inspiration from the Swiss carnival tradition, the world-famous Fasnacht of Basel. The participants of the Fasnacht are organized into cliques and start planning months in advance, selecting hot topics from the past year – may it be an international political event or a local Swiss scandal – and processing them critically and visually. Fasnacht, which lasts three days and three nights, is a beloved annual display of how society reflects upon its current situation in a way that is both fun and sophisticated. It might be understood as an important purifying ritual for the city. The Velvet Carnival also strives for such catharsis and likewise creates an opportunity for artists, musicians, activists, students, and other people to meet and cooperate.