We decided to title the format a symposium because we consider this word to correspond better than others to dialogical, horizontal and interactive mode of encountering. Since we don’t want to speak empty words we pay attention to the encounter‘s character in advance. Considering the individual parts we are planning formats and adapting spaces in cooperation with our guests. We are drawing on experience from foreign conferences, workshops and summer-schools. All members of Narativ team are going to facilitate our joint two days in order to let us feel well, learn a lot and express ourselves. Dialogue is necessary if we want to enrich one another.

Etymology of both words “dialogue” and “symposium” leads us to the classical Greece. There were two meanings of “symposium “for ancient society. Most widely known meaning is connected to verbatim translation “to drink together” and refers to celebrations, banquets and rituals where people used to sit in circle while, often immoderately, enjoying all ancient pleasures. However we relate primarily to the second meaning which refers to the part of symposiums dedicated not only to banquet but firstly to the discussion on certain topic. Such discussion was often regulated by a moderator taking care about a possibility to speak for anyone so that the debate was enriching for everyone.

Why “Horizons” then? We are wondering what is possible to see from the current standpoint and what we are going to meet at the horizons. We also want to meet “horizontally” so to speakin order to give a chance to listen and speak to both skilled professionals as well as beginners across generations and professions. Last but not least do you know “merging horizons”? It is a poetic expression by H. G. Gadamer whose hermeneutic thinking had influenced many of our teachers. By this expression he grasped a moment of mutual understanding that we may experience in dialogue while exposing our own experiences, prejudices and other preconceptions. This way we are offering our horizons to one another so that they happen to merge. Our own horizon is expanding without superseding or being superseded by any other.

We would like to invite you to such merging of horizons.

In the name of organizers,

Kateřina Novotná