Speeches 2023

Alya Dirix

Brussels Night Council

Alya Dirix is the coordinator and spokesperson of the Brussels Night Council, Belgium. This is a regional initiative launched in Brussels in 2019 and has been coordinated within visit.brussels since July 2022. Its aim is to bring together stakeholders involved in shaping the nightlife to achieve the following:

• Conducting an analysis of Brussels nightlife (statistics, infographics, maps, surveys, etc.) to better understand the sector and obtain concrete data.

• Stimulating projects that can improve the nightlife.

• Facilitating coordination and implementation of specific and interdisciplinary actions by developing synergies between regional administrations and the nightlife sector.

The topics addressed in the working groups aim to provide a global and holistic vision of urban nightlife, including combating discrimination and harassment, as well as sexist and sexual violence, safety and prevention, risk reduction, public tranquility, noise pollution, cleanliness, urban planning and territorial development, mobility, tourism, and the sector’s sustainability.

Currently, the council’s permanent members (Brussels by Night Federation, Brussels HoReCa Federation, 24hbrussels, visit.brussels) are working on an application to include clubbing in the UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Brussels Capital Region. This application is primarily motivated by the desire to recognize the cultural heritage and its contribution to the identity of Brussels.

Artur Wojtczak

Germanist, Book Author, Journalist

He is a tireless ambassador of club culture in Poland and co-author of the book “30 Years of Techno Scene in Poland” which is the first and only anthology about the history of the electronic scene in Eastern Europe.

Artur is a freelance journalist and works for magazines such as Muno.PL, electronic beats (PL & GER), Laif, and Noizz. He writes reviews, essays, and articles about the latest developments in the Polish club culture: House-Nation Poland and Clubland Polska.

He also publishes internationally and collaborates with magazines such as MixMag, Pulse Radio, Only Techno, Faze, and Resident Advisor. Additionally, he is a member of the Fryderyk Phonographic Academy, press spokesperson and communications director of the Instytut Festival, and collaborates with the Goethe Institute Warsaw.

Aziz Sarr

Artist, Event Organizer, Freak de L’Afrique Collektive

Aziz, a.k.a. Walter Griot, is part of the collective “Freak de L’Afrique” which has shaped a new wave of house and techno enthusiasts in Berlin.

He grew up in Berlin in the 80s and comes from a progressive Senegalese Griot family (Griot = traditional West African drummer). From a young age, he was exposed to various African percussion instruments such as the djembe and sabar drums, the kora harp, and the balafon.

Alongside this cultural heritage, electronic beats were present in his home, as Aziz’s father, Jimmy Bamba, was a DJ – more specifically, a resident DJ at the legendary Berlin club “Dschungel”.

In 2013, Aziz organized his first parties in Berlin, dedicated exclusively to African house music. He was one of the very first DJs to bring Afro-house music to the Berlin nightlife scene.

In his speech on the topic “Black Roots of Techno Culture,” Aziz aims to raise awareness among participants and pay due respect to the significant role of black pioneers in the development of techno culture.

Carlo Blättler

Event Organizer, Lecturer, Member of the Street Parade Zurich Association

Dimitri Hegemann

Tresor Berlin, Atonal, Happy Locals

Dimitri Hegemann, cultural creator and space explorer, enjoys engaging with things that are different. He sets things in motion. On one hand, he is interested in unconventional forms of expression in visuals and sound, and on the other hand, he is intrigued by spaces for alternative culture.

Milestones of his work include the non-conformist Atonal Festival and the development of the Tresor Club, which played a significant role in bringing together young people from West and East Berlin. This was also facilitated by the new electronic music called “Techno,” which Dimitri discovered in Detroit a year earlier.

In recent years, Dimitri has dedicated himself to forgotten industrial spaces. He often refers to himself as a “space explorer.” The process of transforming a ruin into a vibrant cultural space is his strategy for creating new, modern workplaces.

The connection between nightlife culture and urban development is one of the more important topics in his long-term research. In fact, his contribution to the successful transition from subculture to creative industries is of pioneering significance.

In 2012, he co-founded the group “Happy Locals” with Annette Ochs, which develops strategies for small and large communities affected by depopulation, both in Germany and abroad. Particularly for young people, small towns often lack platforms and structures for self-expression. The consequences are migration to larger cities and a shrinking or even cultural extinction of youth cultural programs in small communities.

Since 2021, Dimitri has established the Tresor Foundation Berlin, which strives to remove cultural spaces from speculation and provide cultural creators with planning security. In October 2021, he presented the initiative “Clubs for Germany” before the German Association of Cities.

His speech at the Rave The Planet Parade on July 8, 2023, is titled “Techno is Peace”.

Dr. Matthias Pasdzierny

Musicologist, University of the Arts Berlin

Matthias studied music education, musicology, and German studies in Stuttgart, Berlin, and Krakow. In 2013, he obtained his doctorate with a dissertation on returnees from exile and West German music life after 1945.

Since 2007, he has been a research associate at the University of the Arts Berlin (UdK). His research interests include, among others, techno culture. We highly recommend his book “Techno Studies – Aesthetics and History of Electronic Dance Music” which he co-authored with Kim Feser.

Matthias has supported us in the project “Cultural Heritage: Techno.” and attached an inspiring cover letter to our UNESCO application. His speech at the 2022 Parade was titled “Transformation Softpower,” and we are eagerly awaiting his contribution to this year’s Parade.

Dr. Motte

DJ, Musician, Father of the Love Parade, CEO at Rave The Planet

Few individuals have shaped and transformed the electronic music scene as significantly as Dr. Motte. He is a dreamer and visionary – an ambassador for electronic music worldwide.

Electronic music fans and dancers from all over the world flock to his gigs. With his music, the legendary DJ builds bridges between people. When the Doctor spins the records, old-school ravers and Gen Z enthusiastically share the dance floor, creating a unique sense of unity.

Even before Dr. Motte achieved success with music productions and remixes, he had already realized an idea in 1989 that would write a new chapter in music history: a peaceful demonstration that brought electronic music to the streets: the Love Parade.

At the Rave The Planet Parade 2023, he will deliver both an opening and closing rally.

Dr. Sissy Kraus

Lawyer, Former Board Member of CSD Berlin

For over 20 years, Sissy has worked as a lawyer in Berlin, as well as in the Human Rights Committee of the German Bar Association. During this time, she has represented and advised numerous cases in the LGBTIQ, women’s rights, and discrimination fields.

Since 2010, she has been volunteering for the Berlin CSD e.V. (Christopher Street Day) and served as the board member of the major pride parade from 2010 to 2015. She is also a co-founder of the organizing team behind the concept of “CSD on Rail,” the queer pride train with the Berlin S-Bahn.

Ellen Dosch-Roeingh

Designer, Event & Artist Manager, Raver

From dental assistant to dancer to communication designer and event & artist manager – Ellen has explored various fields and eventually landed in Berlin. With her love for electronic music and creative talent, she has managed to live her dream. She is a co-founder and shareholder of Rave The Planet, where she works as a Creative Director and PR Manager. However, her personal commitment to the project goes far beyond that.

Music was ubiquitous in Ellen’s family, and she herself has tried various instruments, from the “old recorder” in elementary school to piano, guitar, and singing. But her true passion was and still is dancing. For many years, she performed as a dancer and promoter at festivals, clubs, and numerous events and trade fairs. After completing her design studies at the Würzburg-Schweinfurt University of Applied Sciences (formerly FH W-S), she moved to Berlin, where she immediately became involved in various cultural initiatives as a volunteer and has been co-organizing events since 2008.

She dedicates her speech to the importance of raves and dancing for the individual and society.

Eric Wust a.k.a. Eric SSL

DJ, Music Producer & Radio Host, The Elmonauts* Crew

For more than 30 years, Eric has been active as a DJ. Since the very first minute on June 20, 1997, he’s been a moderator, show host, and DJ at Germany’s most popular electronic music radio station, sunshine live.

Every Friday evening, from 8:00 to 10:00 PM, you can hear him on “Special Squad,” and on Saturdays, from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM, he takes the microphone and decks for the “Sunshine Live Classics” show. He also represents Chris Nitro in “Back 2 The 90s” and the one and only “Clubbingman” Tommy Schleh in “Welcome to the Club.”

Eric SSL captivates the audience, not only with one of Germany’s best radio voices, in our opinion, but also on the classic main floors of “Nature One” and “Mayday.” As an ambassador for sunshine live, he regularly tours clubs across Germany, igniting the crowd with his infectious beats.

In addition to his DJing, Eric has been releasing his own music productions and remixes since 1998, including contributions to the Tsunami Charity Project “Help Asia!”.

Join Eric at the Rave The Planet Parade 2023 as he takes you on a journey and explores the theme of peace and disarmament in all areas, including interpersonal relationships. Prepare for a deep and inspiring speech that aims to provoke contemplation while emphasizing the significance of techno parades as demonstrations for and of peace. Go Eric, go!

*The Elmonauts = Ger. Die Elmonauten 😘

George Fleming

Event Organizer, Activist, Save Our Scene UK

George, the founder of Save Our Scene UK, established SOS in 2020 as a campaign to support musicians during the COVID-19 lockdown. The organization advocates for the preservation of cultural values, harnessing the transformative power of music.

In his speech, he will update us on the current developments in the electronic music scene in the United Kingdom and highlight the government measures that currently pose a severe threat to the survival of the culture.

“Save Our Scene is proud to be represented at Rave The Planet once again this year and to be part of this significant demonstration.”

Marc Wohlrabe

LiveKomm, Stadt nach 8 Conference, Clubcommission Berlin

Marc studied World Heritage Management, focusing on “Historic Urban Landscape” and “Marine World Heritage” (M.A.). He supported our UNESCO application to protect Berlin’s techno culture as Intangible Cultural Heritage.

In 2000, Marc co-founded the ClubCommission Berlin. He is also a member of the advisory board of Musikboard Berlin, the extended board of LiveMusikKommission, the General Secretary of the European club association LiveDMA, and co-initiator and director of the “Stadt nach 8” conference.

His areas of interest include urban development, nightlife economy, safe partying, and noise pollution. Therefore, his speech this year will address the topic of “Cultural Noise Regulation – Clubs and Noise Protection.”

Marta Fantini

Musician, DJ, Event Manager, Activist

Marta, also known as Fivequestionmarks, was born in Rome in the early 1990s and grew up with a passion for rock, punk, and electronic music. She started attending and organizing events in her city at a young age.

From 2015 to 2019, she worked as a project manager for the Ex Dogana project and eventually became a resident DJ there.

In recent years, she has worked as a director and event manager at club Cieloterra. She is also the president of a cultural association through which she conducts art projects for urban regeneration, including Forte Antenne.

As a musician and DJ, she defines a highly contemporary sound under the name “Fivequestionmarks”, blending dancefloor electronica with mainstream references and cultural rhythms.

Marta also collaborates as a sound designer with contemporary artist Borondo. In 2019, she provided sound for the “Merci” exhibition at Temples des Chartons in Bordeaux, and in 2021, she worked on two rooms for the “Insurrecta” exhibition at the Esteban Vicente Museum of Contemporary Art in Segovia.

In her speech at the Rave The Planet Parade, she will talk about the impact of Italian Prime Minister and right-wing populist Giorgia Meloni’s Anti-Rave Act on the country’s techno scene.

Sanne Kurz

Politician, Member of the Bavarian State Parliament, Filmmaker, Feminist

Munich calling… Sanne supports our demand for the abolition of all dance bans. Due to scheduling reasons, she can unfortunately only deliver a speech at the parade in 2024, but to support our demand, she has produced a video that we will soon distribute through all social media channels.

About the person: Susanne “Sanne” Kurz is a vibrant and dedicated individual. She was born in the beautiful Palatinate region on the Rhine in 1974 and currently lives in Munich. Sanne is a mother of four children, a cinematographer, an independent filmmaker, a cultural worker, an artistic collaborator, and a lecturer at the renowned Munich University of Television and Film (HFF).

In 2017, she joined the political party “Alliance 90/The Greens” (Ger.: Bündnis 90/Die Grünen), and since the autumn of 2018, she has been a member of the Bavarian State Parliament.

Sanne passionately fights for the abolition of dance bans on so-called “silent holidays” and, together with her party, submitted a bill to amend the Holiday Act in the Bavarian State Parliament in October 2021. Although the bill was rejected after the hearing, she remains undeterred and continues to advocate for her beliefs.

Sascha Ritter

Artist & Event Manager, Metropole Agency, HYTE Festival

Sascha Ritter has been involved in the creative marketing of artists and musical content since the 90s. He has held leadership positions as a product and A&R manager at BMG, as the Head of Music at MyVideo/ProSieben Sat. 1, and has also worked independently with his own label and music publishing company.

Currently serving as a managing director of Metropole Agency based in Berlin and member of the 360° agency collective, which includes a DJ booking agency, artist management, and event production company. He organizes raves worldwide, including events under the brand “HYTE”.

“Clubs and event venues are valuable assets for various reasons. Therefore, it is essential for society to protect these spaces from displacement, especially in densely populated areas of large cities.”

Tommy Vaudecrane

Artist- & Eventmanager, Technopol Paris

For the past 30 years, Tommy has been strongly involved in the French electronic music scene as a DJ, music producer and event promoter. Since 2010, Tommy has been President of Technopol, the French lobby and trade body association for the defense, promotion and recognition of electronic music.

Technopol produces the “Techno Parade” as well as the “Paris Electronic Week” and nurtures close and regular relationships with French governmental institutions at the highest level.

In addition to his dedication to electronic music, Tommy has worked in marketing, communication and PR for 15 years and is also a cultural consultant for real estate promoters and governmental institutions who wish to include culture and entertainment in their urban development strategies.

Tommy’s speech therefore revolves around the topic of „Equal status for electronic music culture with all other, established cultural forms and institutions, as well as equal claims and opportunities for government funding“.