To bolster their chances, Rave the Planet put together a 10-minute video detailing the rise of techno in Berlin. In it, numerous artists explain in their own words what makes Berlin techno so special. Part of the discussion involves Love Parade, an annual festival that originated in West Germany as a demonstration of freedom, love, and disarmament. While it was disbanded in 2010, it is slated to return in 2022 in a new form.

Berlin’s unique history made it a breeding ground for techno. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, German citizens were euphoric. Thanks to numerous vacant buildings around the city without much law enforcement, these same citizens were able to host uninterrupted creative spaces. This led to an explosive growth of the city’s techno music scene.

According to UNESCO, an intangible cultural heritage is a practice, representation, expression, knowledge, or skill considered to be a part of an area’s cultural heritage. Berlin would not be the first European city to gain such a title. In 2017, UNESCO awarded Zürich’s techno scene the status.

Find more information about the status, including how to donate to the cause, via Rave The Planet.

After 2021’s event was cancelled as a result of circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, Love Parade announced in January that the festival would become a “fundraver” called Rave The Planet, a non-profit fundraising effort for the preservation of dance music culture. Rave The Planet has partnered with TikTok to broadcast the six-hour festivities on Saturday, July 10th, 2022.

Performers for next year’s Rave The Planet include Love Parade founder Dr. Motte, along with fellow Germans Ann Clue, Klanglos, Mark Dekoda, Nakadia, and Stella Bossi.

“Rave The Planet is a non-profit organization dedicated to the spirit and culture of electronic music,” the event’s mission statement reads. “Our initiators are artists, ravers, entrepreneurs – including the inventor of the Love Parade, Dr. Motte. With our work, we want to make a sustainable, positive impact on techno culture.”

Love Parade’s shift into the Rave The Planet guise comes over a decade after the final Love Parade event, where 21 attendees tragically died in an overcrowded tunnel entrance stampede. Rave The Planet’s rebranding and revitalization is meant to gain reognition for electronic music culture from The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Rave The Planet was originally scheduled for this year, but the ongoing pandemic forced organizers to push back the date until the virus is better controlled and it’s safe to host large gatherings again. Involved in the new parade is the creator of the original, Dr. Motte, among a number of veterans in the electronic music world. Due to the event taking place more than a year from now, specific details like the exact location and lineup are not known at this time.

Since announcing the new parade, organizers have hosted a number of virtual events to keep fans entertained until the big day. On their YouTube channel, they’ve hosted a series of original mixes, live-streamed events, and interviews with artists and important figures in the community.

New Beginnings

The final Love Parade in 2010 ended in tragedy as 21 attendees lost their lives after being crushed in an overcrowded tunnel entrance stampede. The parade was permanently canceled and criminal investigations took place.

On the official website dedicated to Rave The Planet, organizers shared a statement describing what they want to achieve with the new event. They stated that it is being held in an effort to protect electronic music and see it gain recognition with The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

“Our aim is to preserve, maintain, protect and develop the art and culture of electronic music in all its forms,” reads the statement. “That’s why we are creating a new platform to raise public and political awareness, as well as to provide updated information on the reality of our culture.”

“Because we believe that electronic music is a special cultural asset in urgent need of preservation, our goal is to make it generally comprehensible for everyone while at the same time fostering understanding among nations and peoples,” it goes on. “This is why we are standing up to appeal that electronic music culture be included on the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.”

The next chapter in Berlin’s storied music parade, Rave The Planet, will take place on July 9th, 2022. Organizers are currently accepting artist and float submissions for next year’s outing. You can learn more about the upcoming event on their website.