Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan Kolkata, the official German Cultural Institute, supports sustainable, local initiatives from all walks of culture. It is important for us, that these initiatives are rooted within and are conceived for the people of the city and are of great quality. Kolkata Classics’ programmes are exactly that – even though the programmes are initiated by a foreigner, Jennifer Heemstra has managed to involve the local communities to a degree that only few manage to achieve. And taking it a step further, she has very successfully implemented outreach programmes so that a large number of young Kolkatans can experience the so called Western Classical Music – not in a stern, missionary way, but in a joyful, lighter way so that also people who have not yet heard this kind of music will find an entry point and quite playfully learn about a style of music which is very different from Indian Classical music.
For the Goethe-Institut, understanding somebody’s culture means getting closer to understanding somebody else. This, we feel, is crucial in a globalised world with many conflicts where communication across borders, around the globe is the most important. The power of cultural programmes in this respect cannot be overrated. In this way, Kolkata Classics opens a door to an aspect of culture where Germany has a lot to offer and which over the centuries has been a very important element of the cultures of all European countries, but obviously of many other countries all around the globe.”
Friso Maecker
Institutsleiter / Director Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan - Kolkata