Multiculturalism and interethnic co-existence are the two pillars of Generating Trust, a network of art projects designed to raise awareness among European citizens about the benefits of peaceful coexistence. The European Academy of Bozen-Bolzano (EURAC) is one of the principal nodes of this network of culture, ideas and exhibitions, which include artists from four countries: Hungary, Slovakia, Romania and Italy.

Funded by the European Union’s Cultural Program, the project Generating trust by means of culture in a multi-ethnic environment is produced by the Foundation Nadácia Palisady Védcölöp of Bratislava, in cooperation with A38 in Budapest and the Tranzit Foundation of Cluj, Romania. EURAC’s participation is two-fold: as a scientific consultant through the Institute for Minority Rights, and as a cultural partner via the project “Journeys Between Art and Science” of the EURAC Tower.

The idea for the project was born out of the conflictual relationship between Slovak-Hungarian ethnic minorities, which saw increasing ethnic and political conflicts between the two countries during the period 2007-2010. Art and culture has played an important role in the mediation process between these communities by creating a common meeting ground detached from political issues.

South Tyrol, too, has a complex ethnic and cultural reality: the local community consists of three language groups who live alongside an ever-growing community of immigrants. Thus it is a multicultural society comparable to other regions where ethnic conflicts have occurred.

http://tower.eurac.edu/en/art/exhibitions/generatingtrust/default.html