Light Festival - Departure in Leipzig – 20 years of Peaceful Revolution and Unity in Europe

More than 100,000 visitors experienced the 2009 Light Festival on the 20th anniversary of the peaceful revolution in Leipzig. The city’s citizens, among them many young people, joined national and international guests to march with candles around the city’s inner roadway – the Leipzig Ring.

Architects, designers and artists from various European countries used light, audio and video to show their interpretations of the events of ’89 along the historical route of the demonstration.

The Light Festival offered moments of remembrance for all. It did not stand still however but, rather, represented a symbol of unity, freedom and the overcoming of borders. Many of the visitors had been at the demonstration themselves 20 years before. Others were now able to feel for themselves a touch of the1989 crowd’s peaceful, persuasive power.

Lighting of the Demonstration Route

The Light Festival was held on the Leipzig Ring, route of the original demonstration in 1989. It began at the Nikolai church and continued over the Augustplatz, Georgiring, main train station, Tröndlinring and Goerdelerring. The historic demonstration route’s most important points – the “landmarks” – were especially highlighted for the festival by means of large-scale projections and artistic works.

Numerous Light Art Projects

The idea for the Light Festival was conceived and carried out by the Tourism und Marketing GmbH and local light artist Jürgen Meier. Numerous partners contributed their own projects around the main Ring route under the motto “Civic Commitment – 1989 and Today”. Together, this all added up to an impressive, single thematic work of light art.

In order to accentuate European thinking and the international aspects of the 9th of October, Leipzig’s partner cities were invited to participate with their own projects. Lyon, France contributed a work at the Reformed –Evangelical church along the Tröndlinring. The film footage of the 70,000 man strong demonstration on the 9th of October, 1989 which was broadcast in the western media had been taken here.

• Further information at www.leipziger-freiheit.de
  
• photos, reports and impressions from the Light Festival at LVZ-Online.de