Modes of working in Corona times, up until the end of 2021
Up until the end of 2021 the Goetheanum Leadership, which is responsible for the orientation of the Sections of the School of Spiritual Science, the General Anthroposophical Society and the Goetheanum as a place of work and research and a conference and festival venue, will conduct its business in the way described below.
Due to the Coronavirus, which has been declared a pandemic by the WHO, and the cultural, social and economic changes resulting from this in many countries, we are faced with a new social reality. Both the Goetheanum and the anthroposophical movement worldwide are directly affected by this, and at many levels. The work of numerous organizations and artists is acutely endangered and travel activities will be greatly limited for some time.
Multiple perspectives
We see the pandemic from the medical-scientific and socio-political point of view as symptomatic of our time. It brings up both fundamental and practical questions in relation to our civilization, the way we treat the earth as a living organism, to individual health and to our cultural and social co-existence.
The Goetheanum Leadership considers an exclusively natural-scientific view of the Coronavirus to be insufficient. The explanations given and the official measures imposed as a result can and must be critically examined in context and their appropriateness discussed. Their medical, political, social and economic effects are complex and impact a great number of people and situations around the world. What is needed now are initiatives based on multiple perspectives and integrative social practice as well as the active promotion of and participation in artistic activities. The members of the Goetheanum Leadership have presented their initial appraisals and outlook in the book Perspectives and Initiatives in the Times of Coronavirus.
The vital questions that have come to the surface need to be studied in-depth from different specialist perspectives before judgments can be made. Prompted by the Corona pandemic, the climate crisis and the growing technologization and digitalization, the Goetheanum Leadership has decided to focus the work of the School of Spiritual Science’s eleven Sections in the coming two years on the question of life: on the earth as a living organism and our human life forces and forces of health.
These themes will be pursued in a series of lectures entitled The Signature of Our Time, each of which will be accessible on video one week later.
Safety concepts
The Goetheanum Leadership and management are making every effort to provide as many artistic and cultural events, encounters, colloquia and specialist conferences as possible, whilst adhering strictly to the Covid-19 regulations required in Switzerland and in the canton of Solothurn. Among these events are the Faust festivals in July 2021 and the performance of Rudolf Steiner’s Four Mystery Dramas at Christmas 2020. Depending on the kind of event, the Goetheanum will implement one of four safety plans. How this can be done successfully has been demonstrated during the premiere of Faust in July and the Annual Conference of the Medical Section in September 2020.
Many people are unable to travel at the moment, especially from countries outside Europe. The Goetheanum Leadership is committed not only to stay in contact with them, but to intensify mutual relations as much as possible. We would like to take the current situation as an opportunity for developing new forms for the Anthroposophical Society worldwide.
The Goetheanum will use the possibilities of digital communication actively and in differentiated ways. We are working towards a concept that includes three kinds of event:
- events that take place at the Goetheanum only
- events and formats at the Goetheanum and online, with the possibility of interactive participation from a distance, and
- digital formats such as videos, web seminars etc.
The Goetheanum Leadership would like to promote dialogue, both within the anthroposophical movement and in the societal discourse of our time. Wherever possible, we will try to establish or support adequate forums for dialogue.
Ueli Hurter and Justus Wittich on behalf of the Goetheanum Leadership
Lecture series The Signature of Our Time: Advance booking stating name and address (required for the Corona safety concept); allow enough time if you wish to buy tickets on the night. Box office open from 6 to 8 p.m.).