prospects of rapprochement

A workshop titled”Dialogic Existence-Indentity in a globalised World“, took place yesterday in Berlin. The event was organised by the Sozialwissenschaftlicher Studienkreis für Interkulturelle Perspektiven e.V. (SSIP). The role of Dialogic Existence is understood as a dialog between cultures, more precisely between the religions of cultures. Four lectures, mostly designed as practical field reports, are focus of the workshop. Dr. Armin

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Fog, pea soup and Klondike

Good Friday, fucking cold, fog, what to do? Hiking in the Harz mountains! It is my third try to climb the Hanskühnenburg in the South Harz Mountains. Two times I failed due to bad weather. This time luck is on my side, even though it is only 3 degrees celsius outside. Together with a friend, who is familiar with the

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Pérouges: Welcome to the medieval times

The little town of “Pérouges”, 42 km away from Lyon, was completely rebuilt in the 20th century. This gem of medieval architecture protected by its city walls and situated on top of hill, can be best discovered in the course of its winding roads that are bordered by old houses. Producers often chose the typical scenery of Pérouges for historic

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A close look into the abyss called soul

Travel guides are an important device. They are good for orientation on-site. They deliver important information on budget hotels, on shopping malls and hip restaurants. Sometimes, however, they can do even more: they initiate the encouter with (the own) history and therefore with the past. The changeful German-French history seems to be particular present in the Alsace. Already in 357

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Fresque des Lyonnais

The trompe l’oeil on the house wall in Rue de la Martinière displays famous citizens of Lyon. It shows amongst others the Roman Emperor Claudius, the inventor of the weaving loom Joseph-Marie Jacquard, Laurent Mourguet, the inventor of buffoon “Guignol”, André-Marie Ampère, the inventors of the cinema Auguste and Louis Lumière, the architect Tony Garnier, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (“the little

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Don’t panic! We live in a beautiful world?!

Oh all that I know There’s nothing here to run from Cause here Everybody here’s got somebody to lean on Coldplay sing about a ‘beautiful world’ in their song “Don’t panic”. Germany experiences its first spring weekend. Yesterday temperatures almost 20 degrees Celsius for the first time this year and also today a gentle breeze dominated through the day. A

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Friedrich’s crusade

Minister of the Interior Friedrich seems to have a mission for his tenure: the crusade against Muslim none-integrable citizens of Germany. Already upon his taking over of the ministery almost exactly one year ago he chanted that “Islam does not belong to Germany – historically seen”. At that time he replied to a comment by former Federal President Christian Wulff.

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The fight for democracy and dignity

[nggallery id=52] The announcement of a „panel discussion with the human rights commissioner of the federal government Markus Löning“ intrigued me. I noticed positively that representatives of Syria and Tunisia would be part of the discussion. Next to Markus Löning, Matthias Katzer (Amnesty International), Dr. Sadiqu Al-Mousllie (member of the Syrian National Council) and Chaouki Ben Attia (Head of the

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How deep is their love?

Is freedom a question of money or decency? After the failure of the UN-Resolution last friday and the reasons given for the decision that China and Russia consider the economic ties towards the Syrian Regime as more important than the daily victims of the struggle for freedom against Assad’s dictatorship, lack of understanding might be the nicest feeling one can

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An Arabic idea finds its way into the world

The final plea of Ulrich Kienzles closing an interesting, entertaining evening resonates: “It is for the first time that an Arabian idea “Kefaya – enough” finds its way into the world. From Tunisia, via Egypt and Lybia to Israel, Spain and Greece, where young people likewise protested against their governments. And if one wants to you can file the “Occupy

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