December 2023

Transregional Dynamics of Cosmopolitan Memory Spaces Across Maritime Silk Roads

Leave a Comment / Blog, News / By

At the invitation of Gropius Bau and SAVVY Contemporary under the auspices of Berliner Festspiele, various artists, authors, musicians, filmmakers and thinkers participated in the international exhibition titled ‘Indigo Waves and Other Stories: Re-Navigating the Afrasian Sea and Notions of Diaspora’ that ran from 6th April until 13th August 2023. I was privileged to have been invited to showcase a section of my De:Link // Re:Link BRI research at Humboldt University of Berlin

Transregional Dynamics of Cosmopolitan Memory Spaces Across Maritime Silk Roads Read More »

©Dekoloniale Festival 2023_Damian Charles

Transnational Anticolonial Afro-Asian Memory Spaces in Berlin

Leave a Comment / Blog, Event, Report / By

Berlin has witnessed myriads of events that shaped global politics. One such event is the 1884-1885 Berlin Congo Conference which subdivided Africa amongst colonialists. China often strategically invokes Western colonialism to remind its Global South counterparts that while the West acted colonially -including colonising China- China is interested in cooperation, friendship, trade and development such as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Transnational Anticolonial Afro-Asian Memory Spaces in Berlin Read More »

Pan-Afrasianism: Reflections on Yoichi Mine’s New Book on Afrasia

Leave a Comment / Blog / By

As part of my visit to Berlin (this past September 2023) to do some work on the De:Link // Re:Link Project involving the Belt and Road Initiative, I had the opportunity (among many other activities such as the pleasant trip to the port of Duisburg, the largest inland port in the world) to read and discuss with some members of the project team, during the De:Link // Re:Link Silk Roads Roundtable, a new book on Africa and Asia by Professor Yoichi Mine of the University of Tokyo.

Pan-Afrasianism: Reflections on Yoichi Mine’s New Book on Afrasia Read More »

New Silk Roads in Germany: A Visit to the Duisburg Port

Leave a Comment / Blog / By

Unknown to many, Duisburg Port in Germany is the largest inland port in the world and the most significant inland port in central Europe. It consists of 22 port basins and its waters cover an area of 180 hectares. Approximately 60 freight trains travel weekly from Duisburg to Chongqing city in China and vice versa, making the Duisburg Port a key hub of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). At Duisburg Port, 20,000 ships and 25,000 freight trains

New Silk Roads in Germany: A Visit to the Duisburg Port Read More »

Silk Roads Workshop for Teachers

Leave a Comment / Blog, Event / By

On the 11th of December, we held a Silk Roads Workshop for teachers from various schools located within the state of Berlin. The workshop was titled The New Silk Road and it lasted from 1500 until 1800. Ulrike Cordier and John Njenga Karugia organized the workshop at the Institute for Asian and African Studies Institute at the Humboldt University of Berlin. The objectives of the Silk Roads Workshop were:

Silk Roads Workshop for Teachers Read More »