On July 5, the Goethe-Institut - a non-profit organization promoting the German language and German culture abroad - celebrates its 60th anniversary. To mark the occasion, a big party will be held in Berlin (for invited guests), along with outdoor movie screenings for the public. It's an opportunity to take a look back in time at the institute's founding in 1951.

At this time, only six years after the end of World War II, the Goethe-Institut's main function was to train foreign German-language teachers in Germany. However, it gradually became affiliated with various German cultural institutions around the world. At the beginning of the 1970s, cultural policy, alongside political and economic relations, became the third pillar of Germany's foreign policy.

Today, the Goethe-Institut is one of the largest cultural institutions in the world, with 150 branches in 93 countries, thousands of cultural events and millions of people involved in German courses. Its newest branch opened recently in Nicosia, the capital of Cyprus.

The world of media

For a few years now, many people have been heralding the death of newspapers, basing their dim predictions on the competition created by the Internet and the resulting financial inefficiency. But how will the future of mass media really look? The Internationales Zeitungsmuseum in the city of Aachen - a museum of newspapers from around the world - wants to answer this very question, as well as many others. It is due to reopen on July 8.

The museum was founded in the late 19th century by private scholar Oskar von Forckenbeck, who collected thousands of newspapers during his extensive travels. Today, the museum's archive boasts around 200,000 newspapers from around the world, from the 17th to the 21st century, with the oldest exhibit dating back to 1609. However, unlike in the past, the museum's main focus is no longer history but rather the development of media and their effect on human life.

Music everywhere

This summer's line-up of music festivals continues in July, starting with TFF Rudolstadt - Germany's biggest folk, roots, and world music festival - which attracted over 70,000 visitors last year. It is scheduled to run from June 30 - July 3. Artists from all corners of the world will perform their music on more than 20 stages scattered around the town of Rudolstadt in the state of Thuringia. This year's focus country is Switzerland and the Dance of the Year is the waltz. Rudolstadt has historical significance in the sphere of dance: It was here that East Germany's largest dance festival used to take place, featuring folk dancing from various Eastern Bloc states.

For fans of classical music, there is the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival (July 9 - August 28), which celebrated its 25th anniversary last year. It is not only one of the largest of its kind, but also original in terms of its venues. The concerts take place in churches and palaces, as well as at farmsteads, in barns, parks and at an airport terminal. According to the festival's artistic director, Christoph Eschenbach, this year's program will offer a lot of variety and "music from many centuries." This year's country of focus is Turkey.

Wagner centennial

This year, just as in previous years, opera fans will flock to the Wagner Festival in Bayreuth, which takes place from July 25 - August 28. Because this is the festival's 100th anniversary, special celebrations are in store.

As always, the program includes five of Wagner's operas: a new production of "Tannhäuser" and four productions from previous years. The Wagner for Children project, started two years ago, continues in 2011. It includes a shortened, 90-minute version of "The Ring of the Nibelung" - which could also be a good choice for not-so-opera-savvy adults.

Literature in Klagenfurt

Judging literature is not easy, and it often involves drawn-out discussions behind closed doors. But at the Festival of German-Language Literature - formerly known as the Ingeborg Bachmann Prize - things are different. Scheduled to take place in Klagenfurt, Austria, from July 6-10, it will involve 14 authors from Germany, Austria and Switzerland reading from their own works. After that, the jury will hold a discussion in each author's presence to assess the respective literary work. All this is broadcast on live television.

But even in this format, the judges' task is a difficult one. It is rare that all seven of them are unanimous in their opinion. In any case, the winning author has something to write home about: Apart from media attention, they receive a prize of 25,000 euros ($35,600).

Bollywood, Hollywood and more

From July 20-24, over 40 new Indian films will be screened at the Bollywood and Beyond festival in Stuttgart, including documentaries and short films. There is also an entertainment program featuring dance workshops and so-called "Tea Talks," which will include discussions about India's culture, politics and economy. There will also naturally be a red carpet, complete with Bollywood celebrities and paparazzi.

Then there's Hollywood: On July 14, the last Harry Potter film is due to premiere in German movie theaters - a both exciting and sad event for fans. But those who have no interest in wizards and sorcery can also find something interesting in the world of cinema: a new Iranian film titled "Nader and Simin, A Separation" - which has already received widespread acclaim. This year, it received the Golden Bear for Best Film at the Berlin International Film Festival, becoming the first Iranian film to do so.

Author: Petra Lambeck / ew

Editor: Kate Bowen