ANNIVERSARIES OF THE ACADEMY HAGIA
Political Festival Day Heide Goettner-Abendroth, 2021, Berlin
This day of the conference is a political festival day dedicated to celebrating the 80th birthday of Heide Goettner-Abendroth. Throughout her life, she has researched the egalitarian, peaceable patterns of matriarchal societies worldwide and founded Modern Matriarchal Studies through her scholarly work. Based on this, she has formulated a profound critique of the present situation and made political proposals that offer practical solutions to the most pressing problems of today.
Her magnum opus has been translated into several languages. She had led three world congresses on Matriarchal Studies and Matriarchal Politics and lectures in Europe and on other continents.
Some of her colleagues and friends from several countries have been invited to celebrate this day with her. They will speak about their own research as well as the scholarly and political work of Heide Goettner-Abendroth, revealing the inspirations and insights it has given them. The international guest speakers will also comment on the political consequences of Heide’s work.
Presentations have been given by:
Genevieve Vaughan (USA), Angela Miles (Canada), Erella Shadmi (Israel), Kaarina Kailo (Finland), Luciana Percovich (Italy), Sandra Capri (Italy), Nicoletta Cocchi (Italy), Luisa Vicinelli (Italy), Mary Condren (Ireland), Barbara Mann (Iroquois, USA), Francesca Freeman (France), Joan Marler (USA), Joan Cichon (USA), Angela Dolmetsch (Colombia)
30th Anniversary of the International ACADEMY HAGIA
1986-2016
In 2016, the International Academy HAGIA has celebrated its 30th Anniversary. It was founded in Germany in 1986 by Heide Goettner-Abendroth who is the director since three decades. Since 20 years, Cécile Keller acted as co-director of the Academy and contributed a lot to make it attractive. During this long time, modern Matriarchal Studies was taught here and the Matriarchal Mystery Festivals were celebrated. Knowledge about matriarchal societies were successfully spread in the German speaking countries, and internationally by three congresses in 2003 (Luxembourg), 2005 (Texas), and 2011 (Switzerland).
All the time, women came to learn, to discuss and to offer their help, so they became the main supporters of the Academy. It flourished by women’s overwhelming solidarity, and also by the support of some men. The students learned about the lifeways and values of still extant matriarchal societies worldwide, and about the important and splendid role women had in the history of cultures. And they were motivated by the visions of Matriarchal Politics to take action for a future society of balance and peace. Enough reasons for celebrating!
We hold the festival at the Academy in Germany, on April 2016, in commemoration of all the excellent and courageous women who fought before us for women’s rights and women’s culture.
20th Anniversary of the International ACADEMY HAGIA
1986 - 2006
In the German speaking countries, the term “matriarchy” as well as modern Matriarchal Studies and Matriarchal Spirituality have successfully gained ground. They splendidly restored the creative impact of women’s contribution to human cultural development and incited many of them to stand up for a better society.
The International Academy HAGIA has a pioneering role in this movement. 20 years ago, its founding mother started to teach modern Matriarchal Studies and to combine scholarship with politics and spirituality at the Academy. Systematically, this new field of knowledge and matriarchal spirituality were promoted at the Academy and carried out into the world by two significant congresses: the “First World Congress on Matriarchal Studies” in 2003 in Luxembourg/Europe and the “Second World Congress on Matriarchal Studies” in 2005 in Texas/U.S. Each one of these congresses was a great success.
Scholars from all over the world and matriarchal researchers from still existing matriarchal societies in different continents now integrate Matriarchal Studies and its political topicality into their investigations. They consider these studies – just as we do at the Academy HAGIA – not only a highly innovative socio-cultural science, but also a vision of a peaceful society of the future.
Opening speech in the town-hall of Dresden
We think this is a reason for celebrating!
And we celebrated together with many women at three jubilee festivals, which were dedicated to the three aspects of the Great Goddess:
