24/11/2025
It is with great sadness that I share the news of the passing of our dear friend Sid (Andrew Siddall). He died peacefully on Sunday evening after a short but serious illness.
Sid has worked with us on our projects for almost 25 years. There are barely words to describe someone so extraordinary, someone who touched the lives of so many. For the creative projects, the outdoor fireworks and dances in countless European cities – and the unforgettable parties. He will be deeply missed.
Everything began in 2002 in Frankfurt/Oder, Germany, with a youth event within the MagicNet network. The theme was “Love” – and indeed, it was also the beginning of a great love that all of us in the team felt for him: for his endless energy, his inexhaustible creativity, and the steady system of thought and organisation that grew within his work.
Looking back, this became especially clear to me in the last two projects we created together: “Tomorrowland” (connect-up) in Palmela, Portugal, and “Come Together” (phōnē) in the South Tyrolean Alps. Sid had a unique ability to unite large groups of people who had never met before — and to turn them into a team within moments. With lightness, with humor, but also with his deep seriousness, he would manage to bring together what felt like thousands of puzzle pieces into a single picture by the end of a week. The results were remarkable, deeply moving presentations - presentations of young people’s ideas, their hopes, their visions. He helped them discover and express their creativity, their passion, and the courage to bring their ideas to life.
At the end of one of our many youth events, a teacher once said that the young people had “worked” many more hours than they ever would at school. She herself was completely exhausted — and yet she wondered at the sight of her students, whom she had never seen so happy, so united, despite all the challenges.
Countless memories will remain, and each of you carries your own — memories that will forever remind you of him. It is rare to meet someone in life who leaves such a profound mark, and Sid was truly one of those exceptional people: a gorgeous man with a big heart, a beautiful soul, and an irresistible sense of humor. He was someone who could find a creative, forward-thinking solution even to the most unexpected challenges.
He will be missed — by me, and by all of us. Yet in this I also find comfort: I am deeply convinced that Sid has left something within each of us. May we all take a moment to hold that feeling, and send him our love and good energy, wherever he may be now.
Dirk
&
Odette
Johanna
Elisa
Sven
