Press Release
Press Release
Church Conversions - 2nd Swiss Religious Heritage Day
Church Conversions engages nationwide church communities, parishes, the historic preservation and the public. On 25th August 2017, a public congress will take place at the University of Bern.
Many churches and monasteries are no longer used by the church, but alternatively serve cultural, social, education-oriented, commercial and private uses. Demolitions are the exception, usually the churches are rented or sold. After the successful 1st Swiss Religious Heritage Day in 2015, the 2nd one in 2017 is dedicated to the same topic, because of requests of the churches and the historic preservation. While the first congress discussed the topic with an eye on the whole, from the perspective of different disciplines, this year's Swiss Religious Heritage Day focuses on the individual and deepens the problem with concrete examples of already realized or initially projected converted churches and monasteries in Switzerland.
In presentations and panel discussions, questions will be discussed: Which development concepts are based on expanded ecclesiastical uses? With which methods does the historic preservation weigh the interests of protection and use? Which processes does the topic trigger in the parishes? Where are conflicts, where will the challenge perceived as an opportunity? How can a city or municipality get involved in the question? What are the experiences of selling and buying churches? Who are the new users of country churches and monasteries? What are the financing models and strategies?
The speakers are involved in reorganization processes in various functions.The Swiss Religious Heritage Day supports the exchange between decision-makers from the church, historic preservation and the public and is aimed at all those affected by the subject.
Swiss Religious Heritage Day
Date: Friday, 25. August 2017
Time: 9.15 til 17.45
Place: University of Bern, Main Building, Hochschulstrasse 4, Audimax (Room 110)
Media representatives are warmly invited. We will be pleased to arrange an interview partner for you, before, during or after the congress.
Further Information: www.schweizerkirchenbautag.unibe.ch
Congress program, Information to goal and organisation of the Swiss Religious Heritage Day, documentation on the 1st Heritage Day in 2015 (a special designed exhibition to converted churches), publications, media images to download.
The congress is supported by the: Bundesamt für Kultur, Stadtverband der Reformierten Kirche Zürich, der Katholischen Kirche Stadt Luzern, der Römisch-Katholischen Zentralkonferenz der Schweiz sowie den Reformierten Kirchen Bern-Jura-Solothurn
Contact: PD Dr. Johannes Stückelberger, Institut for Practical Theology, University of Bern, Tel. +41 31 631 33 83, johannes.stueckelberger@theol.unibe.ch
Media Images
The images are freely available to the media creatorsunder indication of the photographer