A special evening full of art, science and musical surprises took place on Thursday 30 March at the St.  Elisabeth in Berlin. 

The ALPHA MISSION- ΔELOS travelled for the third time in Europe, after the European Parliament (Yahudi Menuhin Hall) and UNESCO headquarters in Paris, this time found itself at the iconic St. Elisabeth; an emblematic place in Berlin built in 1835 by Karl Friedrich Sinkel. 

The birthplace of the twin siblings, Apollo and Artemis, lured the guests through the screening of the concert held in Delos by the European Union Youth Orchestra last May, in a packed historic venue. The event was moderated by the distinguished German artist and co-founder of the World Human Forum, Jochen Sandig. The opening speech was given by Effrosyni Chelioti, Director of International Relations of the Helmholtz Association.

The screening was preceded by a discussion on the role of the humanities, arts and space technology in the regeneration of our planet, moderated by Alexandra Mitsotaki, President and co-founder of the World Human Forum. Professor Hermann Parzinger, President of the Prussian Heritage Foundation, Europe’s largest cultural institution and Executive President of Europa Nostra, stressed the value of our historical legacy as humanity and the great importance we must attach to the synergy between ancestral intelligence and artificial intelligence. A synergy that we have strongly observed existing both in global and Greek history as well as in indigenous populations, noting the importance of the connection that ALPHA MISSION- ΔELOS makes towards the two mutually compatible AI’s. 

Distinguished scientist and Honorary Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), Professor Hans Joachim Schellnhuber took the baton by also referring to the importance of historical lessons, noting that the important civilisations of the past that have been destroyed over time are a great lesson for humanity today. Many ancient civilisations were lost because they failed to respect their environment and used its natural resources recklessly and arrogantly. Professor Heinz Wilhelm Hübers from the German Aerospace Centre added the perspective of space research and technology to the debate by talking about the importance of the Overview effect. No other planet, as he said, can provide the right conditions for the development and maintenance of life. Today’s human civilisation is twice as much at risk as in the past as humanity no longer has the option of moving elsewhere. Professor Schellnhuber stressed that contact with space has helped us to fully understand how fragile our Earth is and at the same that is a miracle we must protect and preserve.

At the end of the screening a special surprise awaited the audience as violin soloist rising star Diana Tishchenko went on stage wrapped in a white dress resembling a new age mythical Artemis and performed Bach’s Chaconne. 

The event was followed by a small cocktail party where people from different backgrounds had the opportunity to discuss and exchange views on sustainability, art and everything concerning the future. The age-old island of Delos, continuing its timeless history, brings people and ideas together, becoming once again the hub for a new world worthy of all living beings on our planet.

From Berlin, the emblematic Greek island renewed its appointment with the world for this June (4&5), to write the new page of synergies between art, science, technology and the humanities.

 On Monday 30 January, ALPHA MISSION – ΔELOS initiative will travel to the UNESCO headquarters in Paris becoming the starting point for a major conversation on climate crisis, culture and the future of humanity. Delos’ emblematic concert, “the [Uncertain] Four Seasons”, which took place in the framework of this initiative last May, with the participation of the European Union Youth Orchestra (EUYO) and soloists the Ukrainian-born rising star Diana Tishchenko (violin) and the Greek virtuoso Socrates Sinopoulos (lyre) will be presented in a unique screening at the UNESCO House.

The screening will be preceded by a discussion concerning a collective search for a future worthy of next generations and the salvation of “the only home we’ve ever known”, planet Earth. In the discussion will participate representatives from the arts and culture, space technology, philosophy and archaeology. In particular, the President and co-founder of the World Human Forum, Alexandra Mitsotaki, the astrophysicist, planetologist and director of research at the National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) in Paris, Athena Coustenis, the philosopher Patrick Viveret and the director of the French School of Athens, Véronique Chankowski. 

The unique concert “ALPHA MISSION – DELOS & the [uncertain] Four Seasons” held in Delos in May, was presented yesterday in a special screening at the European Parliament bearing a strong message on the same day that NASA decided to launch the ARTEMIS I mission to the moon. 

The screening of the filmed concert “ALPHA MISSION – DELOS & the [uncertain] Four Seasons” in Brussels was a very important message of hope but also a wake-up call to the urgent need for action on the climate crisis. The sacred island of Delos, a UNESCO heritage site, already increasingly affected by the climate crisis, brought to the European Parliament – the cradle of modern democracy – the idea of a convergence between science, art, space and technology in the service of humanity and the Earth. 

The event was attended by important representatives of politics, art and science, such as the President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola, the Director General of ARTE Germany Wolfgang Bergmann, Alexandra Mitsotaki, President of the World Human Forum, MEP Maria Spyraki, who hosted the event, the Secretary General of the European Union Youth Orchestra Marshall Markus, the Director of the Yehudi Menuhin International Foundation Marianne Poncelet, astrophysicist Athena Kousteni, the President of the Hellenic Space Centre Ioannis Daglis, the Mayor of Mykonos, Konstantinos Koukas and young students from various universities. The screening was also attended by the soloist Diana Tishchenko (violin) who together with the lyre virtuoso Socrates Sinopoulos and the European Union Youth Orchestra (EUYO) performed the concert in Delos.

Greek MEP who hosted the event Maria Spyraki mentioned: “To host such an event, within the premises of the European Parliament, where the core elements of democracy and modern civilisation lie upon, makes more pressing the need to continue collaborating and working for one of the most demanding- on a global level -environmental legislations in order to tackle climate crisis.”

At her welcoming remarks, the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola highlighted the importance, in order to tackle the climate crisis, to remain openminded and remember that we are all in this together. “We need to look for wisdom in the eras that have passed and as the ALPHA MISSION initiative points we need to recognise that it is only through the collaboration of different disciplines altogether with this wisdom that we can effectively address the biggest challenges”.

Alexandra Mitsotaki, President of the World Human Forum, that initiated the project said: “ It is a very special day today because Artemis finally flew. To the moon and beyond and it brings a message for all of us, for humanity: To built using science and technology that go hand in hand with art, spirituality and the humanities, this ancestral intelligence that has been around not only in my country Greece but allover the planet. A wisdom to treat nature differently than how we do today. To begin a symbiotic relationship.”

After the screening in the discussion that followed Wolfgang Bergman, Managing Director ARTE Deutschland that coproduced the concert, mentioned that it was a once in a life time experience. “It was by chance the exact date of the 30th celebration of Arte  and there could not have been a better celebration of this idea of a joined European channel like ARTE”. Marshall Markus Director General of the European Union Youth Orchestra, said that this was one of the rare projects that fulfil what he calls the great five criteria. “Number one, a great connection with tradition but as well huge innovation, amazing artistic excellence and fourthly incredible social relevance. Lastly, as the orchestra is a metaphor of us coming together, we worked as if we had been together for years and in harmony with the island For me it was an unforgettable project”. The project for Diana Tishchenko, the soloist of the concert, was an experience to carry this for life. “To be part of this good purpose with music is just so fulfilling. I am so grateful for this.”