(1888PressRelease)
July 26, 2008 - Berlin - The mayor of the Chinese capital Beijing and of the north-eastern port city of Qingdao (Tschingdao), from which the Olympic Sailing regatta should depart, welcomed the first Autumn Symposium organized by the newly founded Berlin Society for Intercultural Dialogue. Scientists, business-men, media representatives and artists have been invited to Beijing and Qingdao by the German Society, whose long term aim is to initiate interdisciplinary and intercultural exchange worldwide. After China a number of Symposia are being organised in North Africa, concerning Migration, in Lebanon and Syria, on religious freedom and in India, focusing on progress and social equilibrium.
The Berlin Society is pleased to have won the Chinese scientist YAN Xiaobao as patron of the Europe-China autumn Symposium, where Shifts in Values and Sustainability will be at the centre of the discussion. Yan is Director of the division for West European Research and Professor Emeritus at the “Shanghai Institute for International Studies”, as well as managing Vice President of the “Shanghai Institute for European Studies”, General Director of the “Modern Management Center” in Shanghai and Senior Fellow of the Centre for European Integration Studies at Bonn University. Considering the importance of China’s development and the huge efforts made by Europe when dealing with Globalisation, Yan identified the questions and structure of the planned Europe-China encounter as “extremely important”.
The newly founded Berlin Society for Intercultural Dialogue (www.cm-germany.de) introduced itself to a wide audience in the past week with a Kick-Off event taking place at the “International Design Centre” in Berlin. Among the speakers, the theology expert and film-producer Wolfram R. Bauer, co-founder of the Civilisations Matter Group, introduced the one and half years preparation prior to the beginning of this initiative, which aims at bringing together thinkers working together for social endeavours. Furthermore the communication- and management-coach Liane Steiert spoke about cultural misunderstanding. The Programme was complemented by the Adelbert-von-Chamisso 2007 price-winner, writer Luo Lingyuan, resident in Berlin since 1990, who read an extract from one of her recent publications.
Aim of the non-profit Society is to promote science and research, art and culture and understanding among populations. The Society will offer Symposia, conferences, workshops, conventions and cultural events. Thinkers, scientists, philosophers, artists, politicians, representatives from various cultures, religions as well as business men should be brought together and deal with issues aiming at a global and future oriented way of thinking.
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