Goethe-Institut, the cultural institute of the Federal Republic of Germany, has been present in Bangladesh for over fifty years now. Judith Mirschberger, the Director of Goethe- Institut Bangladesh gets candid with Mehrin Mubdi Chowdhury about her experiences and vision.
Photograph by Sakib Muhtasim
The Goethe-Institut (GI) in Bangladesh has been helping to create opportunities for performing artists and students for a long time now. Judith Mirschberger, director of the Goethe-Institut Bangladesh, a vibrant Arts & Culture enthusiast herself, answers exactly how.
“Teaching German as a foreign language has immense capabilities for Bangladeshi students because it is an opportunity to expose them to the outside world. Most of the students are scared when they begin to learn the language; they usually have a perception that ‘German’ is extremely tough. But our programs are set in such a way that it encourages fast learning.”
Judith has been working in Bangladesh for almost five years now and she feels she has been able to contribute positively. “The people in the country are extremely motivated; they want to learn more and they are interested to get more exposure.” Judith also complimented the government for being open to new ideas and helping in collaborative work towards promotion of cultural enrichment programs.
According to Judith, Goethe helps facilitate an intercultural dialogue. “The institute hires expertise from both Germany and Bangladesh in the fields of performing arts such as dance, photography, painting, etc. In this way both nations gets to mingle and share stories. We provide them with the right kind of platform and our free workshops encourage them to get access to different facilities.”
When asked whether she had seen any direct impact of the programs and workshops of Goethe, Judith remarks, “Some of our programs have had remarkable effect. I would like to emphasise on some major events like the ‘Fashion Exchange Program’ where every year fashion maestros from Bangladesh travel to Berlin to showcase their work and meet experts in the field from Germany.”
Judith explains, “Bangladesh’s fashion industry is prolific with huge potential but it lacks the required exposure especially in the foreign world. If the Germans came to Bangladesh directly they would get to see the real picture- how culturally rich Bangladesh is and the immense potential this country has for collaborative work. Our vision is to help create a smooth communication between the two countries.”
Goethe has also been instrumental in providing secure platforms for people of Bangladesh to come out with their problems and discuss them. Judith articulates, “We need to provide equal footing for all including the Transgender & the LGBT community to encouraging everyone to try and understand each other and respect different views reducing any sorts of intolerance.” The institutes other major events include the arrangement of drama and plays in Dhaka encouraging the reduction of prejudice towards them.
Further into the conversation, Judith emphasised that Goethe also focuses on highlighting the heritage of different nations. Judith articulates, “Bangladesh has an extremely rich culture and heritage which need to be made popular amongst the young generation & the mass people.” The Goethe-Institut held a mega-scale event along with national partners like the Department of Antiquities, The South City Corporation, and the Ministry of Culture etc. where they illuminated the ‘Debi Nibash’ in Old Dhaka. The illuminations were done by German light artists. Judith shares that her ultimate vision is to have an Open Heritage Day in Bangladesh someday.
Judith shares the immense changes she has noticed in the past 5 years. “During my tenure in Bangladesh I have seen tremendous changes in the country. Today there are more international standard festivals such as the Bengal Classical Music Festival, the Art Summit and the Lit Fest promoting the culture and arts of the region. I want people from abroad to come to Bangladesh and see the country with their own eyes and experience the real changes helping to remove their pre-set biased conceptions, if any.”
She expressed, “I enjoyed my stay in this country thoroughly. Emotionally, it is very satisfactory for me to be able to influence people in such a positive way. Bangladeshis are extremely creative and they just need positive reinforcement to chase their dreams. On the other hand, I have also learnt that the country can sometimes face challenges given our political situation. However, these challenges have helped me become more patient. I have realised that everything usually works out in the end,” she concludes on a optimistic note.