living incompatible worlds

Making the possible possible with Urban cultures as bridges between Africa And Europe (ANSA e.V. Conference 2014)

'living incompatible worlds'

is a most beautiful concept 

as I believe most of us say merging incompatible worlds to be impossible

while living this merger possible at the same time.

Living it possible?

Yes, in our everyday actions and encounters

each and everyone practices unconsciously what our rational mind would consider 

impossible - incompatible.

And this I saw to be the case especially regarding the subject of 

Modern Science and Spirituality: 

Implications for development in Africa and in Europe

As behind this rather academically sounding title 

lays a universe 

origin to many of the current challenges we are facing both - 

in Africa and in Europe.

What would happen if we would consciously embrace that ...

>> modern and traditional healthcare go together?

>> traditional and modern political systems go hand in hand?

>> traditional and modern religions live with each other?

>> etc. ...

And the more:

what would be, if we would embrace, that this is something, 

which is already happening? 

Questions and considerations I am looking forward to have discussed during the upcoming ANSA e.V. conference in Bayreuth with my most favourite speaker:

on modern science, spirituality and what holds communities together

opening the ANSA e.V. Conference 2014 in Lingen

Modern Science and Spirituality: Implications for development in Africa and Europe

is what the October 2015 ANSA e.V. conference is supposed to be about.

It is funny how the titles of these conferences are rather easy at hand - and then there is this vast intangible space of possibilities on what it actually means. And what it does not mean. And what it does not mean at all. Mostly leading to dismissing any thought before it could even find its way to the paper.

I like to fill these spaces with experiences of my own. 

It makes it easier for me to grasp. 

It makes it more concrete.

It allows me to adopt my thoughts and put them down on paper.

So here they come ...

Modern Science and Spirituality: Implications for development in Africa and Europe 

- sounds like dichotomies, right? 

I like to mess with dichotomies and stereotypes. In the two days of the conference we will hear many great academic works and will have high-level academic debates. 

So why not start this conference with a little story.

With my story.

I grew up in a village. A small village - 20 houses, 100 people. All farmers, in a farming region. Wealthy people in one of the riches regions in Germany - the SüdOldenburger Land. 

Benefiting from the advancements of modern science and technology for farming, processing, packaging - the entire production chain basically. 

So I grew up seeing when Mercedes-Benz would have a new model as surely one of the people in that village would get it. Unlike today where I live in Berlin, Germany's capital city and I look at poor but sexy people (as the former berlin major coined it) in public transport systems. 

Conservative to the bone were these quite wealthy farmers. Christian catholic. Black through and through, like the entire region - as my green party electing mother who had migrated to the village used to explain to me, with black being the color of the conservative Christian Democratic Party (I think Angela Merkel is trying to change it as she always wears red, right?). 

And yet, what held these people together - and this is curious as each and everyone of them would shun you off when you would mention the world spirituality what held them together - what held these people together, what holds us together up to date and what created community, was not church, christianity or debates around modern science. 

It was the celebration of Karneval, of Schützenfest in full traditional gears, the celebration of easter fires, of setting first may trees, of celebrating new years, the darkest night of the year. 

Pagen festivals, traditional festivities, cultural practices. Which despite the looting and burning of the pagan practices remain. Alive. In everyday life. As unquestionable/self evident practices. Of course also granting beautiful excuses to enjoy alcohol in rauen Mengen so I was trained early, don’t dare me on that one ;-) No I am kidding, I don’t drink alcohol again.

There are some points I derived from this. 

In practical everyday life, spirituality and modern since are not that far apart. Are not mutually exclusive. Rather go hand in hand as it serves to the people. In the practical life of the people they can each find their space and place. They can be accommodated and do not in every case have to be mutually exclusive. 

Sure they change over time and some things are given up for new things to come. But they are accommodated and do not exclude one other. And secondly - Spirituality is certainly not something inherent to the African continent. Just that the African continent had the opportunity to exercise it some centuries longer before the looting and burning of christianity would come ;-)  

Wow, I love these thoughts.

Having thought all this tough, I am realising that both, pagan and christian believes are probably understood as traditional and that the dichotomy is about those two to the modern science. But I shall look into that as my next step.

über die Kreativität von Stipendiaten

ANSA Insights - wie diese deutschen und afrikanischen (Ex-)Stipendiaten die Welt verstehen

Hinter den Kulissen passiert so viele gemeinsames.

Die Insights des Alumni Netzwerks Subsahara Afrika e.V. bringen auf die Bühne, was die (ehemaligen) Stipendiaten des Deutschen Akademischen Austauschdienstes kreieren.

Aber lest selbst :-)

@ANSA e.V. Conference Frankfurt am Main 10/2012

talking on shaping higher education Germany/Africa

What, so the question leading heated discussion @the annual ANSA e.V. conference Frankfurt, can one do with regard to the challenges faced in economic, ecological and (higher) education structures in African countries?*

Such were the questions driving the gathering of the young attendees from various African countries as well as from Germany. Invest into Banks - was the interesting approach presented by the African Development Cooperation. Development aid, as one of the attendees highlighted, could had not been the solution - despite being perpetuated by African as much as by the German/ European actors. Eco-friendly technology - amazing! BUT the preoccupation remained: how could one raise the sense of achievement with the various attempts and activities in place or that are planned to be put in place?

Engage in discussions, was the call of Christel Gbaguidi, ask those people that you want to work with, what their challenges are. Now listen to the solutions they come up with. It is with their solutions that you can use to start figuring what would be interesting and viable for you to contribute.*

I suppose it is the listening to solutions, which, in so many occasions, we are skipping over hastily.

*indirect quotes - wording may divert from original contribution

on businessmen and students as informal ambassadors

Westerwelle at yesterdays Ambassadors Conference at the German ministry of foreign affairs: with regard to the German national and international economic interests it is important to look at visa policies. It is important to facilitate the necessary mobility of people - with special reference to the relevance of facilitating international students the access to higher education systems!