NEWSLETTER 17

Katholischer Akademischer Ausländer-Dienst Hausdorffstr. 15153129 Bonn – Deutschlandwww.kaad.de

NEWSLETTERNo. 17; July 2017

especially regarding their potential for reconciliation, as a counterpoint to the prevailing perception of religion as a trigger for conflict in the Middle East.

In his opening lecture, Prof. Dr. Dirk Ansorge (Philosophisch-Theologische Hochschule Sankt Georgen) concisely presented the current debate about the ambivalence of religion by introducing the positions of Girard and Assmann. He concluded that the peace promoting power of religion relies on three basic dimensions: recognition of difference, ability of critical reflection as well as a compassionate attitude towards the victims of violence.

In the keynote presentation of the afternoon session, the Rector of USJ, P. Prof. Dr. Salim Daccache, highlighted the importance of freedom of conscience and religion for the social cohesion in multireligious societies: „Diversity does not necessarily mean division.“

The intense Auslandsakademie program was accompanied by an excursion to the coastal city of Tripoli, a musical soirée and a talent show staged by the KAAD scholars. Following the conference, they came together for a workshop titled “Refugee Realities” in which the participants presented their multifaceted professional and volunteering activities in the field of refugee relief and peace promotion. In addition to this, scholars took the opportunity to have one-to-one meetings with the project officer of the KAAD Middle East Department Evgeni Goshev.

KAAD Foreign Seminar in Indonesia

In cooperation with the Merangat Foundation, whose director is KAAD alumnus and Peter Hünermann Prize winner Stephanus Muyadi, KAAD held a seminar in Pontianak, Indonesia, June 7–11, 2017, about professional qualification. Further cooperation partners were KONTAK, the Catholic Union of former students in Germany, the District Government of West Borneo/Kalimantan, as well as an industry sponsor, the shipyard “Steadfast Marine.” In the auditorium of the Governor’s Palace of Pontianak, which served as the event venue, in front of a large student audience, the subject of discussion was that the country suffers from a poor infrastructure, yet is politically stable, to a large extent. What is it that holds this entity together? What role do intellectuals and artists play here? And what influence do religious fanatics have in the land with the largest Muslim population? In addition to the question of professional qualification, all these questions were also discussed during the seminar.The great public interest in the event was not only reflected in the presence of the Governor of Kalimantan and the Bishop, but was also shown in the wide- ranging support given by diverse local authorities. During the excursion

Dear Scholars, Alumni, Friends and Partners of the KAAD,

The summer edition of our Newsletter highlights a series of events abroad with, and in, our alumni network (in particular, Lebanon, Indonesia, and Armenia). Most of all, it informs about (thematic) projects for 2018, the 60th anniversary of the founding of KAAD. We wish an exciting read and an enjoyable summertime!

Your KAAD Team

KAAD Auslandsakademie in Lebanon: Strengthening the Peace Potentials of Religion

Religions are in need of spaces for self-reflection to unfold their peace promoting power – this is one of the main conclusions of this year’s KAAD Auslandsakademie in Lebanon. The academic event „Religion, Conflict, Conflict Transformation“ took place from 7 to 10 June at the Jesuite Saint Joseph University of Beirut (USJ). It brought together 54 scholars, alumni, representatives of KAAD partner universities and external guests.

„This academy is unprecedented“, said KAAD President Prof. Dr. Eberhard Schockenhoff in his opening address: „For the first time in KAAD’s history we were able to welcome scholars studying at Middle Eastern Universities to a Auslandsakademie .“ Since summer of 2015, KAAD has supported 36 students from Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan in starting or continuing their studies at Middle Eastern universities. Schockenhoff expressed his gratitude to the committed KAAD partners in Lebanon, Prof. Dr. Souad Slim and P. Dr. Jules Boutros, emphasizing their active assistance in building up the KAAD Third Country Scholarship Program in Lebanon as well as in preparing for this year’s academy.

The thematic focus of this year’s Auslandsakademie had been proposed by KAAD scholars and alumni in Lebanon at an alumni seminar in 2016. Scholars perceive the dialogue between various religions and denominations,

NEWSLETTER 17

KAAD Educational Committee: Our Topics for 2018

Our Educational Committee, assembled from 15 elected delegates of scholarship holders (representing 13 countries from our 5 partner regions), as well as representatives from our head office, and its director, met on June 23 and 24 for the annual meeting in Bonn. A special aspect of this years’ convention was the arrangements for the upcoming anniversary, when KAAD will turn 60.

Overview of the Selected Topics for 2018 (Working Titles):

Continental seminars

Africa:

What is African culture? (Debate on values—Fine Arts, Language, Music)

Asia/Eastermn Europe (Cooperation seminar)

Sharing experiences, understanding changes The process of transformation in Asia and Eastern Europe as a social and personal challenge

Latin America: “Buen Vivir”—an alternative development concept

Near and Middle East:Coexistence (people with different religions and different cultures living together in the Near and Middle East)

General Seminars

Human traffickingIndustry 4.0—Who wins? Who loses?“The Banality of Evil”Festive Culture in GermanyCatholic Congress (city of Münster) – Culture of non-violence

The jubilee Annual Convention at the end of April, 2018, entitled “A Common Future in a Fair World” will not be characterized primarily by a (scientific) topic, but rather by the presence, and from the interaction, of key partners of the KAAD from church and politics, some of whom will travel all the way from overseas for this express purpose. For example, we are looking forward to welcoming the Mayor of Breslau, Dr. Rafal Dutkiewicz, a KAAD alumnus, who was honored this year with the German National Prize.

The title of the convention also signifies a self-commitment of the KAAD as an institution and its scholars in view of the increased interconnection of global problems and their possible solutions. It mentions “fairness” in a broad, even biblical, sense, as an objective that can be formulated culturally in the plural. “Common,” in this sense, appears almost as a utopian provocation as, currently, “non-community” finds many propagandists worldwide. Hence, community versus separation and isolation becomes a fundamental theme of global processes, together with the question, what is “most profitable” when, in particular, “democracy” (as a “Western” system of government and way of life) is increasingly questioned. The direction of the planned talks and debates provides the subtitle of the convention: “Our responsibility for holistic development” (following the newly established dicastery in the Vatican, as well as the intentions and analyses of Pope Francis, e.g., in “Laudato si”)..

The educational committee also always discusses comprehensive questions concerning educational work and communication of the scholars with each other and with the head office, this time in particular with regard to Facebook and the intensification of the work of expert groups. Starting from the “official” Facebook website of the KAAD, a lively exchange has arisen in the different regional groups, in part also among alumni, most recently as well among the expert group “Justice and Peace” (Justicia y Paz), so far only established in Latin America. The delegates suggest a more frequent use of the “blog” as an instrument (for example by participants of seminars), as well as the edition of a regular “science newsletter” containing references to

program that followed the seminar, it became clear that Christian churches in Indonesia were founded as tribal or people’s churches. This was made clear to the participants from Jakarta, by the example of the Dayak culture, which characterizes Kalimantan everyday life. It was also learned what hospitality means in a strongly traditional society.

Jubiläums - Jahresakademie“A common future in a fair world – Our responsibility for holistic development”

Spiritual ProgramSpiritual days in BeuronStudy and pilgrimage excursion to Rome

NEWSLETTER 17

Intercultural Workshop

In all, 23 KAAD scholars, who are currently taking the German Language course in Bonn, met with the Desk Officers Jana Geerken and Santra Sontowski on June 10. On the premises of KAAD, a workshop was held on “Intercultural Learning and Life in Germany.” The goal was to establish awareness among the scholars of their own cultural identity, as well as of cultural differen-ces in the thoughts and actions of people from dif-ferent cultures. Additionally, their view was focused on intercultural encounters and they were sensitized to conflicts. It was altogether a success-ful premiere, which influenced the perspectives of all in a po-sitive way.

projects and publications. Most of all, to include sur-place and third-party scholars (which already make up 20% of the total), videos should be increasingly utilized.

A two-week summer school project on the topic German Language (“lingua franca”) was introduced in the KAAD. Participants, functioning as teachers, are KAAD scholars who are studying German, in order to offer a follow-up to language courses at a later period of study (on a voluntary basis). A survey will bring us a more detailed analysis of needs. In the educational work, the English language is widely deployed in a flexible manner, and will be offered even more widely as a “bridge” to understanding German lectures.

International KAAD Conference in Yerevan/Armenia

From June 14th to 17th 2017, 30 alumni from Armenia, Georgia, Hungary and Ukraine were invited by the Armenian Alumni Association to the international conference “Changing Eastern Europe: Educational Institutionalization - New Dimensions, Perspectives and Challenges”. The conference took place at Brujssow University of Languages and Social Sciences in Yerevan and was organized by Dr. Elena Etaryan and Eduard Saroyan.The Vice-Rector for International Affairs together with Angelina Hovhannisyan, Department for International Relations of the Armenian Ministry of Education, focused in their talk on the difficulties that Armenian students are facing abroad – particularly those who take part in exchange-programs. According to the results of a survey among students, the main problems are insufficient language skills, financial problems, separation from relatives, problems of adjustment as well as difficulties to relate their experience to their study programs at home. Dr. Frank Meier (Düsseldorf University) and Prof. Dr. Andrea Cnyrim (University of Applied Science at Karlsruhe) spoke about the advantages and problems of the internationalization of academic systems.

Vivid examples of the educational infrastructure in Eastern (Central) Europe and its internationalization were given by various KAAD alumni. Topics dealt with were changing values in educational exchange (Armenia), internationalization in Ukraine and educational developments in Georgia and Hungary in the context of transformation processes.

The cultural program of the conference included a visit to the ancient village of Garni and the Armenian Genocide-Museum in Yerevan.

Alumni Seminar in Ghana

KAAD Desk Officer of the Africa Department, Jana Geerken, took part in the National Seminar organized by KASWA (KAAD Association of Scholars in West Africa) in June this year. The topic was “Education for Life, Education for Development: Changing Approaches in a Changing World”. Around 50 Alumni and current scholars met in Ejesu close to Kumasi and followed interesting presentations dealing with the topic from different points of view. Afterwards the participants had the opportunity for exchange and discussions. The joint excursion was to the Manhyia Palace Museum, which gave interesting insights into the Royal House of the Ashanti Region in Ghana.

At a glance:

• The Mayor of Breslau, Dr. Rafal Dutkiewicz, a KAAD alumnus, was honored with the German National Prize in Berlin on June 13, 2017.• From July 20 to 23, 2017, the joint yearly seminar of the alumni association KASEA (KAAD Association of Scholars from East Africa) took place in Jinja, Uganda. Its topic was Education for Life, Education for Development: Changing Approaches in a Changing World. Around 75 scholars, alumni, and guests took part.• Members of the alumni group “Peace and Justice,” founded last year, will meet October 20–21, 2017 for a seminar abroad, in the city of Santa Fe, Argentina. The international group will call into question the common term ‘Development’ in light of Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato Si’, and will also discuss alternative development models. The event Repensar el Desarrollo en torno de Laudato Si’ will be prepared as a series of online contributions from scholars and alumni.