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© Café Europa Mons
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Café Europa is a project initiated by Mons 2015, with the theme of “where technology meets culture”. It’s
officially opened on March 12, 2015 with the launch of the Festival VIA, a digital and performing arts.
It is a 70
square meters wooden container-like filled with high-tech and discovery. Not
just like a regular café, this flagship project of
Mons 2015 is more like a laboratory where we can use new form of technology and
learn how it gives such an impact to the society. With a café atmosphere, it allows
digital technology more accessible to the people, from meeting
to sharing cultures.
A really cool and cozy place to
hang out where we can interact with other European citizen from different
cities through a “Europawall”, a wall of screens connected to European cities in real time. A
great opportunity to reinvent the way we live together. These connections will be established in the Café Europa between two or three cities and propose
activities connected mixing technology and social debates, workshops, fun
activities etc. In a world where technology is often synonymous with social isolation,
this space is trying to prove otherwise. Hello people in San Sebastian,
Riga, Avignon, Rome, Karlsruhe, Plzen, Skopje, Sarajevo.. also Montreal and
Tokyo, let’s have a coffee and share stories!
When
I came here the next day after the opening for an event (check out next post!), I met
Mladen who’s in charge for the “Europalab”. It’s
a "fablab" for DIYers. A
small room adjacent to the container where we can use a 3D printer and laser
cutting equipment. Everyone can come and create whatever we want (under
supervision and on appointment) and pay according to the design of our prints.
This is where creative projects come true.
At
Café Europa, we will perceive the value of do-it-yourself and open source, and
the chance to redefine our social ties together. So, come and give it a try!
Carré des
Arts
Rue des
Soeurs Noires 4/A
Tuesday –
Thursday – Friday, 12 – 8 pm (the 2nd Friday of the month: 12 – 10
pm)
Wednesday, 12 – 6 pm
Saturday
– Sunday, 2 – 6 pm
Accessible
until December 19, 2015