Introduction to the Campaign
Relations between the United States and Europe are currently considerably burdened. In response to this, the Goethe-Institut USA has started a campaign entitled "Among Friends" to promote the German-American dialogue. The program begins with a reading tour of two young authors who will travel in the USA for four weeks, from New York to Texas.
The Reading Tour
The two authors, Sonali Beer and Iiven Yorick Fenker, will perform in various locations, including a pizzeria in Washington and a huge ancient bookshop in a former barn in West Chester, Pennsylvania. Both authors were born in the 1990s and are associated with the German Institute for Literature in Leipzig. The project is carried out under the patronage of one of the professors of the institute, the writer Ulrike Draesner.
The Authors
Sonali Beer, originally from Giessen, writes prose, essays, poetry, and pieces, in addition to her political activism. She sees it as a privilege to simply observe and draw her own conclusions from what she sees. Iiven Yorick Fenker grew up in the Harz, a border region between Eastern and Western Europe, and the landscape of this area shapes his writing. Fenker is a great fan of US literature and the open communication style that he experienced in the country.
Representative of a Young, Diverse Germany
Sonali Beer is excited to see how much the country has changed and sees herself as a representative of a young, diverse Germany. This will send a powerful message. Fenker hopes for an intensive exchange on social developments in both nations and recognizes parallels between them. The two authors will travel by bus and train through Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Georgia, and Florida to Houston in Texas, and they also hope for some insightful encounters in public transport.
The Outcome of the Project
In the next four weeks, the authors will plan to publish some of their own work, together with jointly written texts and videos that were created during their trip, in a literary column on the Goethe Institute website. The project aims to reach new target groups that had previously had little contact with Germany. The last stop of the reading tour is October 7th in Houston, where a new Goethe Institute will be opened in the city in autumn, the seventh in the United States.
Strengthening Friendship with the USA
The campaign is seen as an optimal time to strengthen friendship with the USA. With the "Among Friends" project, the Goethe Institute reaches new target groups and provides a platform for a new generation to see the relationship between the two countries. The project is particularly exciting, as it shows how a new generation views this relationship, and it provides an opportunity for lively debate and exchange of ideas.
