Cologne should be safe – that is the top priority for New Year's Eve. But it's the artists who are supposed to make Cologne shine again one year after the New Year's Eve attacks. A light installation and several choirs await the celebrants.
A large contingent of police, video surveillance and large-scale cordons are to ensure that New Year's Eve in Cologne does not become another night of terror, either due to sexual assaults or a terrorist attack like the one in Berlin. The most important sign for a cosmopolitan and tolerant Cologne is to be set by the artists and the visitors around the cathedral.
The multimedia light installation "Time Drifts Cologne" by international artist Philipp Geist is the biggest art event on New Year's Eve. Starting at 5 p.m., he will have large-scale projections on the ground in front of the west portal of Cologne Cathedral and on Roncalliplatz to project an artistically designed tapestry of words with words submitted by Cologne citizens. "Apart from two exceptions, all mailings were positive words such as human dignity, No man is illegal or prudence," says the artist. Visitors to Roncalliplatz can walk across these tapestries of words and bring them to life. At the same time, Philipp Geist immerses the facades of the Roman-Germanic Museum and the Domforum in large-scale video projections. The visual impression of the light installations is reinforced by ambient sounds, into which the sound of the cathedral bells has also been incorporated. The light installation will not end until the early hours of the new year 2017.
Clear sign for harmonious coexistence
Even before the renowned light artist Philipp Geist starts at 5 p.m. the multimedia light production on Roncalliplatz and in front of the west portal of the cathedral "Your word for Cologne", the choir "Grenzenlos", reinforced by co-initiator Henning Krautmacher, will perform above the cathedral steps. It should be a musical invitation to everyone to celebrate New Year's Eve together "happily and safely" in Cologne. This choir is formed by members of the youth choir St. Stephan and the "Lucky Kids" group together with young refugees between the ages of 14 and 25. Under the direction of Michael Kokott, they have rehearsed internationally known pop songs and have already performed them successfully. In English, German, Kolsch and the native languages of the singers, they want to send a clear signal for harmonious coexistence.
For one hour, the small stage in front of the cathedral from 10:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. belongs to the choir "Gospelcologne" and all those who spontaneously want to sing along or have even made themselves particularly "fit" in a small workshop beforehand (free registration via www.gospelcologne.de). All interested citizens of Cologne, regardless of age, are cordially invited to become an active part of this extraordinary production.
Year-end service live on our site
Mayor Henriette Reker is pleased with the accompanying artistic program on New Year's Eve: "I am convinced that we have chosen the right setting, especially with our light installation, because light is always part of the turn of the year, so that people can meet peacefully."
Safe and quiet as never before, the New Year's Eve service in Cologne Cathedral with Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki will also take place. Strict security and bag checks around the cathedral should ensure a peaceful process. There is a firecracker-free zone around the cathedral. Mayor Reker is looking forward to the service and the cardinal: "I will attend the service, as will the police chief and his wife, and I ame that we will then look at the light installation together with our cardinal after the service."Whether there will be a meeting with the artist, who is very busy this evening, is still open.