Second European Theatre Day of Tolerance

On 1st February 2012 the “New Theatre” in Budapest was tranferred to a new director, a very famous Hungarian right-wing activist. This is the reason why C. Bernd Sucher, many theatre directors, actors and I launched a European initative to protest against rising intolerance in Europe.
On 1st February 2012 before every theatre performance, actors and theatre directors in more than 600 theatres across Europe and the Americas read our memorandum to express their solidarity with these humanistic values.
Also this year we ask as many theatres as possible to participate in this initiative and read the following memorandum to their publics before the beginning of the performance.

Memorandum
I am reading a memorandum that will be read today in most theatres across Europe in the local language prior to the performance:
Today is 1st February 2013.A year ago today in Budapest, one of the largest theaters in the city came under the leadership of a man who for many years professed racist and xenophobic ideas.Since that day, plays that promote such views are shown in this theater, which is subsidized by public funds.The emergence of such a far right theater is an important symbol of the revival of xenophobia, racism and anti-Semitism in Europe. Not only in Hungary movements of this type are more and more successfull. This is why we should commit ourselves in our own country and lives to tolerance, diversity and solidarity for the weaker members of our society.We are dismayed that political forces are at work in many European countries stirring up hatred, contempt and envy between people. Our intention with our theatre work is to overcome the divisive factors in our societies, to spark curiosity and to sharpen people’s senses for social truths – for the common good of all people, for peace and freedom in Europe. After all, we human beings are all free and equal in dignity and in rights; we are all citizens of one and the same world.Today is 1st February 2013. Let us join together today to celebrate the second “European Theatre Day for Tolerance.”

Markus Kupferblum

>>  1. February 2013: “2. European Theatre Day of Tolerance”