Holy Flow – Diversity in Motion: An Interfaith Festival for Understanding and Creativity
On May 24, 2025, the interfaith festival Holy Flow took place in Cottbus (Brandenburg) — a vibrant space of encounter for people from diverse religious, cultural, and social backgrounds. Under the motto “Diversity in Motion,” the festival brought together art, spirituality, and civic engagement in an open and inclusive dialogue.
Around the grounds of the Menschenrechtszentrum Cottbus e.V., visitors of all ages came together to celebrate, learn, and connect. The day began with a welcome address by Eike Belle, Commissioner for Social Affairs, Youth, Education, and Integration of the City of Cottbus, followed by spiritual impulses and rituals — including an opening storytelling session and a closing ceremony led by Jalda Rebling.
A diverse workshop program invited participants to engage and explore creatively:
- Improvisational dance with Ioannis Avoukamidis
- Middle Eastern music and liturgy with Tayfun Guttstadt
- Watercolor painting with Solara Shiha
- Writing performance with Anna Lublina
Musical performances by Tayfun Guttstadt and an interfaith panel discussion on “How Much Religion Does Democracy Need?” rounded out the program. Panel participants included:
- Jalda Rebling – Jewish cantor/chazzan
- Razan Alshash – Muslimas Network Brandenburg
- Nouria N. Asfaha – Diversity coach, spiritual caregiver
- Dorothea Gauland – Protestant pastor for interfaith dialogue, EKBO
- Moderator: Dr. Vanessa Rau – Center for Dialogue and Change
The Networking Meeting – In-Depth Exchange for Professionals
On May 25, 2025, following the public festival, a networking meeting was held with invited guests from religious communities, the cultural sector, and the social field. The aim of this format was to deepen the exchange between the fields of art and interfaith work.
In a protected setting, participants shared experiences, discussed challenges, and developed concrete ideas for future collaborations. The focus was on how creative approaches can promote social participation and sustainably strengthen interreligious understanding.
The networking meeting offered space for open conversations, mutual inspiration, and the building of long-term connections — an important step toward making synergies visible and generating new momentum for joint projects.
“Communicating across language and cultural barriers is already challenging. When it comes to different religions, the uncertainties grow even larger. The interfaith workshop Holy Flow aims to help bridge these gaps—through storytelling, music, dance, and other creative formats.” — Simon Klaas, initiator and Protestant pastor
These are our artists
Anna Lublina is a performance and social practice artist based in Berlin. Their work explores diaspora as both a creative form and a political stance. In their workshop, participants will draw from Ashkenazi Jewish mourning traditions to write texts that grieve the loss of water in our natural environment – a poetic, collective process of remembrance and ecological reflection.
Solara Shiha is a multidisciplinary artist from Syria who has dedicated herself especially to the art of watercolor painting. Through her sensitive and expressive works, she shares the power of this medium with others, creating spaces for artistic expression and human connection. Alongside her artistic practice, Solara is also socially engaged—advocating in particular for the rights and visibility of the Kurdish minority.
Tayfun Guttstadt, musician and scholar of religion, invites participants on a sonic journey through the musical and liturgical traditions of the Middle East. His interactive workshop explores the aesthetics and intersections of Muslim, Jewish, and Christian musical practices – brought to life through diverse audio and video examples.
Ioannis Avakoumidis, an internationally active dancer and choreographer, offers a workshop in dance improvisation centered around the flow of movement. Through guided and playful exercises, participants are encouraged to explore their own physical expression and engage in creative dialogue with others.
Making a Collective Statement
Holy Flow is not intended to be a one-time event — we aim to continue it in the future. That’s why we are looking for new partners and supporters who want to help shape and further develop this project. Feel free to get in touch with us!
Anna Andrievskaya: pr@highartbureau.com
Funded by the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community in implementation of the objectives of the German Islam Conference based on a resolution of the German Bundestag, and by the Dr. Buhmann Foundation for Interreligious Understanding.
Our Partners:
Makom e.V. is not only a well-known and interdisciplinary association for Jewish art and culture in Brandenburg but also an active member of the local Jewish community. By fostering precise connections between people of the Jewish faith and culture, the association and its founders support the project with an active network, extensive experience, and valuable perspectives.
Muslimas Netzwerk Brandenburg is an active and versatile network. It engages with questions of integration, Muslim life in Brandenburg, the role of women in communities, and children’s education while also sharing experiences of discrimination. Through this, we aim to collectively articulate and advocate for our interests and contribute to the acceptance of Muslim women, as well as all Muslims, in Brandenburg. We stand for: social diversity, religious freedom, a positive and peaceful coexistence, and exchange and collaboration between Muslim and non-Muslim women at the state level.
Simon Klaas and the Evangelical Parish of the Forst Region are not just project sponsors. Mr. Klaas has been engaged in interfaith dialogue and open exchange for many years, using the universal language of art to foster greater togetherness. His ability to bring together multiple perspectives was particularly evident in the successful Preacher Slam format, which featured representatives from all contemporary faiths.