SUMMARY & OUTLOOK
In his resume of the M100 Sanssouci Colloquium Prof. Dr. Andreas Rödder, professor of contemporary history at the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, underlined that a free press has to be defended constantly. The biggest challenge in a digital world is to offer sufficient orientation in times of information overload, and to work as a filter, shaping public opinion with facts and in depth information. In his review he also pointed out that Eastern Central Europe was the area that suffered most from the dissolution of the Habsburg Empire, which led to the open question whether with the German reunification the Baltic States gained sovereignty.
He further asked whether Putin was offensive if he questioned the European order after 1990. In his view, there were fundamental underlying problems which are deeply rooted in the contrast of Poland, the Baltic States, Hungary and Georgia seeking for security in Russia as a great power and yet at the same time, orient themselves towards the European Union. "alternative is the very core of democracy", he quoted Ulrike Guérot whilst stressing with the importance and responsibility that both public debate and journalism are bearing for democracy. His conclusion described the concept of serendipity – being open to unexpected opportunities as well as being aware of possible dangers can help to master whatever lies ahead. Please find his complete Summary & Outlook here.
As a gift to the participants of the M100 Sanssouci Colloquium, the C.H.Beck publishing house provided copies of Prof. Dr. Rödder's newly published book “21.0. Eine kurze Geschichte der Gegenwart” (21.0. A short history of the presence).
M100 MEDIA AWARD
German Foreign Minister Dr. Frank-Walter Steinmeier opened the M100 Media Award with his speech on the topic of 70 years of Potsdam Agreement. "The question of world order is as important an issue today as it was back then – although in an entirely different way", he said. "Because, in 2015, we have luckily overcome the order imposed by Potsdam and the bipolar logic of the Cold War. However, even 25 years after reunification and the end of confrontation between the superpowers, no new order has emerged. In the early 90s, there was much hope; “the end of history” and “a multipolar world” were all the buzz, a world in which many actors would assume responsibility on the world stage. Thing turned out differently: The world is no longer bi-polar, and it has never become multi-polar, but is instead non-polar. To put it more optimistically, the world is searching for order. But this search is not taking the form of a peaceful discussion at university. Rather, in recent months, struggles for influence and domination have given rise to a great number of crises and conflicts, to an extent that I, at least in my political lifetime, have never witnessed before."
Toward the representatives of the media he said: "I believe the media may bear even more responsibility today than they did in the past – not only because they reach more people, but because the power of providing orientation has significantly increased in a time that is lacking this commodity. (...) It is essential to know not merely “what is happening?”, but also “who has the answers?”. Who has a legitimate voice, and whose voice is possibly not even being heard? That is where you, the media, bear a great responsibility. The issues of migration and displacement, of opportunities and dangers, as well as of terrorism, Islam and integration, are complex and interconnected. It is my guess that these topics will be the focus of many of your conversations this evening. And I suspect that oversimplified, high-profile, black-and-white headlines and images will provide the worst answers." (Please read his complete speech here).
After the speech of Foreign Minister Steinmeier the renowned M100 Media Award Ceremony took place. This year the award was presented to the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. The board of the M100 Sanssouci Colloquium based its decision with the epochal significance of Charlie Hebdo's ordeal. The free world must show solidarity with the victims in every way. Freedom of speech and freedom of press is fundamental to every democracy. It must be defended under all circumstances.
Editor-in-chief Gérard Biard accepted the award in the presence of Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Potsdam's Lord Mayor Jann Jakobs, French Ambassador Philippe Etienne, and around 200 invited guests. “The beliefs and values we advocate are universal values, and as such, belong to all citizens of the world,” Biard said in his acceptance speech. For this reason, all citizens of the world should stand up for them, he added. “Despite what has been claimed, we have never criticized Islam or Muslims. We criticize Islamism as a political ideology.” The first victims of “totalitarian Islamism and its henchmen” everywhere around the world are always primarily Muslims, Biard said.
“This award today honours the dead – and it honours the survivors,” said writer and defence attorney Ferdinand von Schirach in his speech honouring the magazine. The fact that “Charlie Hebdo” continues to exist is itself a victory, he added, noting that if satire outrages nobody, it is meaningless. Please find the speeches here.
The danish cartoonist Kurt Westergaard, who received the M100 Media Award in 2010 in the presence of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Joachim Gauck, sent greetings to the guests of the M100 Sanssouci Colloquium and to his colleagues from Charlie Hebdo by distributing 200 copies of his drawing "Freedom of Speech". He has supported Charlie Hebdo with the selling of the drawing right after the terror attack and collected more than 15.000 Euro. On Thursday, his galerist Erik Guldager together with his wife Vibeke came on Westergaards behalf to Potsdam. Gérard Biard signed the original illustration.