Save the Date | Beyond the Obvious 2023

We are delighted to announce that Culture Action Europe’s upcoming Beyond the Obvious (BtO) gathering “Handle with Care | Culture for Social Wellbeing” will take place 6-10 June in Elefsina (European Capital of Culture) Greece. The topic of this year’s edition of BtO is care, well-being, well-living and culture.

This three full days of gathering will include Culture Action Europe’s Members Forum, Beyond the Obvious (un)conference, projects agora and final event of the CultureForHealth project. The program is packed with cultural visits and social moments. While more details will follow, please find below an initial sketch of the Elefsina days:

Tuesday 6 June

CAE members arrivals & welcome reception

Wednesday 7 June

CAE Members’ Forum (CAE members’ only) & projects’ agora

Official opening of the Beyond the Obvious 2023 “Handle with Care | Culture for Social Wellbeing” and welcome dinner (open to all)

Thursday 8 June

Beyond the Obvious 2023 “Handle with Care | Culture for Social Wellbeing” (un)conference & projects’ agora

Friday 9 June

Final event of the CultureForHeal project and participatory workshops

Saturday 10 June

Cultural visits & departures

Elefsina is a small, industrial town 20 km west of Athens. As early as prehistoric times, this town has been linked to the ancient Greek’s favourite myth, the myth of Demeter, goddess of agriculture and fertility of the land and her daughter, Persephone. The city was known since ancient times for the Eleusinian Mysteries, one of the most important religious ceremonies of ancient Greece. Their ritual represents the myth of Persephone’s abduction by Hades, the god of the underworld, the journey of her mother, the goddess Demeter in search for her daughter, the rise of Persephone from the world of the dead, and her reunion with her mother. This is where, according to myth, grain crops were first cultivated, and this is where Greece’s largest industries were developed, with disastrous consequences for the region and the sanctuary. Read more about the history of Elefsina

Culture Action Europe members can already pre-register below. Public registrations will open shortly.

This edition of the Beyond the Obvious is brought to you by Culture Action Europe and Eleusis (Elefsina) European Capital of Culture and is co-funded by the European Union.