FOREWORD LIFELINE

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FOREWORD LIFELINE

‘There is no perfect global city’, said Saskia Sassen, sociology professor at Columbia University, at the opening conference of Amsterdam Bright City last year. On that occasion, this specialist in global cities made an impassioned plea for liveability and diversity in the new high-rise city, in which she envisioned an essential role for art and culture. I was also at the conference, as I often am in the Zuidas, because the Zuidas is an important part of the city. This is indeed shown by the fact that we have singled out the Zuidas in these diffi cult economic times as one of the three major projects that are of vital importance for the future of the metropolitan area. During that conference I emphasized how important the Zuidas is for the economy of Amsterdam, but also that we must create a liveable city, with a mix of housing, jobs and recreation. Art and culture are part of this. I agree with Sassen that art is ‘an interesting form of intelligence’. Art gives room for experimentation and the unknown; it stimulates thinking and knowledge creation, crucial for the innovation-andcreativity- oriented businesses that areseated here. Moreover, making room for art is simply a sign of civilization and of the freedom so cherished here in Amsterdam. On a practical level, art can contribute to an open and attractive public space, providing pleasant places for meeting one another. I am convinced that even though we are connected with the whole world through cell phones and computers, physical encounters are necessary – to come in actual contact with one another, to overcome prejudices and to create a feeling of solidarity. Just as art and culture are far from being a luxury for Amsterdam but a lifeline to new perspectives and other worlds, the same goes for the Zuidas. Slowly but surely, sculptures and artworks are appearing on its squares and at its buildings, along with exhibitions and music performances. By now, housing is also being built, people are doing sports, hard work is being done on the dock model and on 10 May the Giro d’Italia is kicking off in the Zuidas. Maybe it’s not yet enough, and it certainly isn’t perfect, but if we all do our best for the liveability and diversity of this global city, we will have a splendid and inspiring addition to Amsterdam.


Mr. M.J. Cohen
Mayor of Amsterdam

NEWSPAPER