Interview with Mr. Nicolas Wieërs, founder and Director General of the International Cultural Festival « Balkan Trafik » in Brussels,exclusively for ARGUMENTUM
« The word « Trafik » in « Balkan Trafik ! » makes one stop and think for a moment. In fact, I wanted people question the meaning of the name. For some, this is surprising as the Balkan countries are stigmatized by the traffic of human being, the traffic of weapons etc. How nice to be able to throw preconceived ideas into turmoil just by talking about the name of the festival ! Balkan Trafik is trafficking : trafficking cultures and experiences offering the key to integration, communication, sharing and opening up to others.
Interviewed by Marjana DODA
Mr. Director General, let me first warmly thank you for accepting to give this exclusive interview for ARGUMENTUM. It is a great privilege to talk with a former champion of amateur box in 1998 – 1999&2001 2002 and in the last 15 years an « Ambassador » of culture, music and arts of the Balkans in the heart of the EU – Brussels. Let me now congratulate you and your associates for the success of the 14th edition of the renown international Cultural Festival « Balkan Traffik » ( 23 26 April 2020) As mentioned in the article published last week also in « ARGUMENTUM » , due to korona virus, this time you were forced to stage this festival on line with the impressive logo « Culture unites us »
Mr. Nicolas Wieërs: Dear Mrs Doda, thank you very much for this opportunity! I started to discovere the cultural richness of Albania exactly 15 years ago. I was invited by an Albanian friend to assist to the famous Albanian tradition festival, dance and iso polyphony, in the castle of Gjirokastra. I had the chance to meet and talk with Professor Vasil Tole!
I particularly like the diversity of the Albanian Cultures which, every “15km” as we said, changes; clothes design, musical rhythm, type of instruments. From the North rhapsode to the south iso-polyphony, from the north green tourism to the south see coast and wine road, it is always, for me and my family, a sincere, marvelous, pleasure to visit Albania.
For that reason, It is then more than normal for me as cultural lover, to use my communication platform and the Balkan Trafik stages, as often as I can, to promote the Cultural Realities of Albania. From more than 15th year than I am used to visit Albania, I had the chance to meet few Albanian experts, as Mr. Tole, but some of them have become valued friends as Niko Mihali, Josif Shukalari, Jorgji Kote, Fitim Caushi. I have a lot of chance that this Albanian personalities trust on my cultural diplomacy work and from many years continue to inform me about the cultural ”who’s who” in Albania.
One of my cultural dream would be to organize a huge event as a “Balkan Trafik…Of Culture” in Tirana and in the castle of Gjirokastra. If you could spread this message through the article, it could be helpful, perhaps a promoter would be interested?
-Now that this event is over, can you tell us in brief on its outcome? What were the key messages by the numerous participating artists and personalities of other fields from the region ?
Here is the goal of my “Balkan Trafik 360 ° digital”. First of all, the term “360 °” wants to give to the public the idea that by visiting our website balkantrafik.com, they will be able to have a panoramic view of part of the cultural reality of the Balkan region. I asked nearly 100 artists, photographers, poets, writers, rocker, jazzmen, tradition, folk, director, philosopher, from the region and their diaspora in Brussels, to send me a video. I also offered this exercise to senior European officials, working hand in hand with Albania, to explain to us the links that unite us, especially in this sad period of pandemic.
This video should be short, because it must correspond to a “digital” format; the public wants to click, try, change style, diversify and not have to endure an hour of “blablabla” or a full concert through its screen. It would not have worked.
But above all, these videos were to be composed with an introduction by the artist who explains: who he is, where he comes from, these roots, … followed by a performance; reading a text by the writer, musical performance, photographic photo series, visit to their cultural center or even their village! That was the idea of this project; even during the pandemic period, let’s stay together thanks to culture, we would have to use this obligation to stay at home to be able to know more about our European neighbors
-And what about Albania that this year was represented by acclaimed folk singers from musical Përmet, Aleksandra Thanasi and Evgjeni Çulli, the talented clarinet player, Josif Shukallari, the band from Përmeti, the emblematic poliphonic group from Bënça, Piluri and others ? What is the echo of their participation ?
N.Wieërs: There were more than these fabulous artists. Precisely because I wanted a 360 ° view, I also gave the floor to a superb representation of modern & active youth as Endora Celohoxaj, environmental activist at the Institute of Nature Conservation in Albania, Kristian Kina Academic senate at University of Tirana, Serena Leka, Engagement Manager on a young successful biotech startup in Denmark.
I also asked a introductory video to a successful Belgian-Albanian director Zenel Laci, a Belgian-Albanian painter Dastid Miluka, the organization of Albanian students from Belgium: Vlera, the Brussels Albanian radio Jehona e Shqipes radio in Brusselss and these fabulous hosts Ledja & Sakip, to the “Grupi Rinia”; albanian wedding music in Brussels, to Ceylan Taci, magnificent songwriter, Blerta Zeghu; Franco-Albanian opera singer, to the beautiful Gjini Famili who continues to sing the legendary albanian iso polyphony here in Belgium, to the famous Robert Aliaj Dragot & his daughter, futur star, Gala …
The number of viewing on the site almost explode the counters! Visitors from all the world.
And the feedback received is all very positive. Our audience was curious to know more about the region and they were not disappointed. We are very happy with this success and we will continue to use this new media “Balkan Trafik 360 ° digital” over the years.
-You have stated that this festival is not cancelled on stage, it is only postponed for November. Can you dwell more on that ?
-The aim of the “Balkan trafik 360° digital” is not to replace the festival, obviously not. The digital is adding another string to our bow. The 14th edition of the festival has to be postponed to November, on a lighter version, but I have to say that I am now focus on the anniversary edition, the 15th edition!, end of April 2021! For that event, I will invite the best Albanian cultural Representatives.
– Another point of interest is to know more on the motives behind this 14 – year old Festival, starting with its very intriguing title « Balkan Trafik ». Did this title not make some afraid, since « there would be more trafiks from the Balkans ? In short, how, when and why such an event, the largest of this kind in Europe?
– Fight prejudices, discover communities, exchange multiculturalism for interculturalism » Kosovo is associated with illegal organ trafficking, Bulgaria with prostitution, Romania with illegal car trade, Roma is associated with theft, Albania with mafia, and so on. These prejudices even apply to Eastern Europe in general: Poles, for example, are associated with blue-collar workers. To fight these persistent prejudices is of primary importance to obtain mutual respect and acceptance of ‘the other’. This is a two-way street and – in my opinion – the best way to achieve this is through Culture. We want to create a space where everyone is equally appreciated. Indeed, all of us should be proud of our own culture and proud to be able to share this culture with others.
« The word « Trafik » in « Balkan Trafik ! » makes one stop and think for a moment. In fact, I wanted people question the meaning of the name. For some, this is surprising as the Balkan countries are stigmatized by the traffic of human being, the traffic of weapons etc. How nice to be able to throw preconceived ideas into turmoil just by talking about the name of the festival ! Balkan Trafik is trafficking : trafficking cultures and experiences offering the key to integration, communication, sharing and opening up to others. In order to create an artistic line up and encounters offered by Balkan Trafik ! to be successful, we have created a real network of specialists of the cultures across the Balkan and their communities living in Brussels. This way we remain strongly connected to the history and the artistic reality of our neighbors, thanks to this network which extends and strengthens as time goes by. The groups at the festival are selected not because they are on tour, or because they’re « in vogue », but because we listen to our networks. Besides that, each group we invite to the festival has its own story, its own particularity, whether it is immigration or exile (rembetiko), because they belong to a tradition from a specific region (peasant bands of Romania, Serbian brass bands, Bosnian sevdah), or a former means of communication having become an art (Albanian Rhapsody).
Others represent a religious movement (Sufism, Sephardi Jews, Serbian orthodox chants) or are part of the everyday life of our Southeast-European neighbors, like the wedding and funeral bands. Each band « tells » us something, teaches us something about its history, and is a basis for communication. Be that as it may, music brings us all together. For communities of East
European origin in Western Europe, it is a dream come true to see their idols again and to experience once again the familiar atmosphere. For those now living in Brussels, it brings back a flood of memories. For Belgians, the Balkan rhythms are associated to joy, party and positive energy. We aim to create a strong and festive feeling of togetherness, where prejudices fade away, and where one can discover our neighboring countries and the realities they face. Despite being adjacent, the Southeast European countries are often forgotten in our daily lives. However, their culture is rich and diverse and the citizens, especially the younger people, are eager to get acquainted with other countries. It is these young people in particular that Balkan Trafik is trying to put together with our audience.
– Those who follow us are eager to know more about the musical bands and artists who have participated at this Festival. Particularly your impressions about Albanian bands – the Ensemble of Folk Songs and Dances, the Dancers from Dropulli, Lunxhëria, Berati, « Joanianët” and others. ?
– I had the chance to meet all of them, in their villages or cities. They are deeply human, proud of their culture, passionate and day per day involved on their patrimony. Its something rare, that we can not find anymore in Belgium. It is probably for this very reason that I am always impressed by their performance. It is also why it is important for me, through Balkan Trafik, to be the link between them and my brussels people.
– Have you ever thought of hosting this festival in the region, for example in Tirana ? Any exchange of ideas or attempts with our relevant authorities or our Embassy in Brussels?
– Yes, it is one of my main objective. To organize, side by side with Albanian cultural stakeholders, a Balkan Trafik festival in Albania, Tirana and/or Gjirokastra. It is not only a question of money, I could find different ways to get the money, neither cultural contacts, but more official support to get authorizations and moral support.
-Finally a personal question; you have visited Albania a couple of times, so you have seen a lot and met many artists. Any message on that and for some of them ? What has mostly impressed you in Albania ?
-Continue to keep your tradition alive, it is a unique valuable treasure
Marjana DODA: Mr. Director General, once again thanks a lot for your time, and for such an exhaustive and inspiring interview for ARGUMENTUM! May we wish to you and to Balkan Trafik a full – fledged success and you may count on our modest support as well!
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