In conjunction with the French and German Consulates, Trinity Western University will present Friendship, Hope and Reconciliation: Lessons from Post-War Europe. The visual celebration, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Elysée Treaty, will run from November 8 to 22, and includes a visual exhibition, public lecture, and film screening with a panel discussion.
Established in 1963 by Charles de Gaulle of France and Konrad Adenauer of Germany, the Elysée Treaty, also known as the Treaty of Friendship, provided a foundation for a new relationship between the two nations, which, for centuries, had been bitter rivals.
How do bitter rivals overcome their obstacles to start a dialogue?
The public is invited to attend the lecture—on November 14—where they will learn that de Gaulle invited Adenauer into his private home at the beginning of the peace talks. The two powerful leaders and arch enemies came together around the kitchen table to kick around ideas on how to establish peace for their nations.
“It’s encouraging to look at history and see that reconciliation, which is a biblical principle, is possible,” said Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Bob Burkinshaw, Ph.D.
The exhibition features 26 poster boards containing photos, text, reproductions of historical documents, and quotes that follow the evolution of the Franco-German cooperation and the birth of the Élysée Treaty. It was developed by the German Information Centre Paris (CIDAL) and was brought to Canada by the German Consulate in Vancouver.
Reconciliation is an important theme for TWU; the University cancelled classes in September to allow students to participate in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Vancouver event.
As part of the two-week exhibition—which is open to the public—local high school students will have the opportunity to participate in a valuable learning experience through tours of the exhibit.
The signing of the Élysée Treaty on 22 January 1963 marked a profound and historic change in the relationship between France and Germany. Its 50th anniversary is being celebrated by French and Germans worldwide with a Franco-German year.
Visual Exhibition
Date: Nov 8 - 23
Time: 8am - 4pm; Monday - Friday
Place: President's Gallery, 2nd Floor Reimer Student Centre, TWU
Public Lecture – Lessons from Post War Europe: French-German Friendship as an Example for Reconciliation, Peace and Hope
Date: Nov 14
Time: 1:10 pm
Place: Devries Centre Auditorium, TWU
Film and Panel Discussion – Merry Christmas: The True Story of an Amazing Truce in the Midst of WWI
Date: Nov 21
Time: 7 pm
Place: Devries Centre Auditorium, TWU