Appointments

Central Asia: Breaking down stereotypes and building bridges!

The three-day international forum ‘Looking to Central Asia – and back’ in Lutherstadt Wittenberg has just come to an end. The event, organised by the West-East Encounters Foundation with the support of the Protestant Academy of Saxony-Anhalt, offered a deep insight into the region.

Central Asia is not a monolith, but a multi-layered mosaic of unique cultures, histories and the aspirations of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

Key insights and speakers

Opening: Welcome addresses by Paul Martin (Protestant Academy) and Elena Hoffmann (West-East Encounters Foundation) and a keynote speech by Dr Andrea Schmitz (SWP) on current dynamics in the region.
Geopolitics: Shairbek Dzhuraev and Temur Umarov shared fascinating insights into the political order and geopolitical dependencies.
Economy: Dr Roland Götz and Dr Uwe Strohbach (Germany Trade & Invest) presented the region from the perspective of resources, reforms and development potential.
Civil society: Matthias Platzeck, Dr Mahabat Sadyrbek, Tatyana Nikitina and Elmira Abylbek discussed the role of activists between the state and change.
Conclusion: A dialogue with the heads of the embassies of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan on current political events and regional cooperation.

The atmosphere was complemented by cultural highlights: a performance by flutist Mira Tulenova and an art tour with ArtCity e.V., featuring photos from Kyrgyzstan and a short film.

This forum provided an invaluable, nuanced perspective. A huge thank you to the organisers and all participants for an honest conversation!

Mutual understanding and bridge-building are exactly what we need right now!

to galery …

Announcement: Seminar workshop ‘Sustainable development of regions: Smart Region +’

As part of our commitment to sustainable development in rural areas, our association cordially invites you to a dynamic seminar workshop on the topic of digital villages. Participants will be introduced to the concept of the smart village and gain insights into innovative projects such as the ‘Smart Border Region Between the Seas’ in North Frisia and the Flensburg district.

During the three-day workshop series at Digital Campus Flensburg, we will focus on developing the Smart Village app. In practice-oriented sessions, participants will begin developing app prototypes tailored to the specific needs of their own regions.

The initiative launched by the SMART Village e. V. association in Bad Belzig is presented as an example of a comprehensive and successful project for the digitisation of rural areas. In addition, other practical digital solutions from rural regions are presented, including inspiring projects from the regional competition ‘Our Village Has a Future’.

On the days outside the workshops, the learning experience will be enriched by guided tours and excursions to sustainable villages in the North Frisia region.

📅 Date 8.–12. December 2025
📍 Place: Flensburg, Deutschland
💰 Entry fee: 350,00 €
🚗 Travel and accommodation costs are to be borne by the participants themselves.

📌 The detailed programme will be announced shortly.

📧 Registration via E-Mail
⏰ Registration deadline: 30. September 2025

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