The Arts Festivals´ Declaration on Intercultural Dialogue has been signed by European festivals and international guests in Antalya on 25 April 2008.

Next to EFA member festivals from all across Europe and beyond, colleague organizations from Africa and Asia also committed to the objectives as laid down in the Declaration.

Hosted by the Aspendos International Opera & Ballet Festival, festivals came together for 4 days in the framework of the EFA General Assembly and Conference dedicated to ‘Festivals in a globalizing world´.
Having spotlighted intercultural dialogue as an important phenomenon for ex-Yugoslavian festivals during the signing ceremony in Ljubljana, the Antalya signing ceremony offered the opportunity to underline the Declaration´s significance in this region of the world: a candidate country to the EU, a country bridging two continents, a country challenging the cultural identity of Europe and the world.

Mrs Yesim Gürer Oymak, Director of the Istanbul International Music Festival, highlighted the meaning and importance of ‘intercultural dialogue´ for Turkey in general and its place in Europe as well as in the world. She also underlined that "Our duty as festivals should be to turn intercultural dialogue into a long-term target and to create an environment of mutual understanding, tolerance, open mindness without creating any terms such as "ourselves" and the "others".

The declaration