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AEBR’s 50th Anniversary’s event

AEBR organizes a 50th Anniversary series of events at the Anholt Castle (Westphalia, Germany) on 18 June 2021

Source: Tuxyso / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

All events will be interpreted simultaneously in English, German and French.

We will start at 9:00 (CEST) with a round table of AEBR founding members to review the fifty years of the Association since its foundation: EUREGIO (DE/NL), Euregio Rhine Waal (DE/NL), Ems Dollart Regio (DE/NL), Regionalverband Hochrhein-Bodensee, Regio Basiliensis (CH) and Région Grand-Est (FR) have been invited to contribute, as well as representatives from other founding regions.

Introduction and moderation: Karl-Heinz Lambertz, President of the Regional Parliament of the German-speaking Community of Belgium and AEBR President

Initial statements:

  • Manuel Friesecke, Regio Basiliensis
  • Sjaak Kamps, Euregio Rhine-Waal
  • Bert Bouwmeester, Ems Dollart Regio
  • Joris Bengevoord, EUREGIO
  • Peter Hansen, Region Sonderjylland-Schleswig
  • Peter van’t Hoog, Province of Gelderland

(updated programme with confirmed speakers by 14 June)

A debate will be proposed around those questions posed in the chat by the public, and those proposed by the moderator. The objective is to identify major drivers for CBC moving these regions to cooperate more than sixty years ago in some cases, which are still valid in times of Brexit, COVID-19, climate and demographic changes, growing digitalization, and the advent of Artificial Intelligence,

At 10:30 (CEST), a second round table is oriented to the media. A look at the future of CBC in a post-pandemic Europe and beyond, but also to the traditional difficulties to make CBC visible. Local media in cross-border environments have been invited to help us understand communication dynamics and how to better present CBC achievements to the citizens.

Introduction and moderation: Alexander Homann, Director of the Representation of the German-speaking Community of Belgium, the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, and Wallonia in Berlin

  • Agnés Monfret, Head of Unit A2 Communication at the General Directorate of Regional and Urban Policy (DG Regio), European Commission
  • n.n., Neue Ruhr/Rhein Zeitung (NRZ) (DE) (tbc)
  • Peter Schenk, BZ – Zeitung für die Region Basel
  • Hans Vlaskamp, Antenne Niederrhein (DE)
  • Peter Berendsen, REGIO 8, Achterhoek (NL)
  • Ruža Jeremić Turudić, Radio Television of Serbia

A debate will follow

After a lunch break at 12:00, AEBR Executive Committee will meet online for the fifth time at 13:30 (CEST). The draft agenda, explanations, and annexes are sent directly to ExCom members.

Unfortunately, COVID-19 restrictions are still expected. Therefore, despite initial provisions, these events have been organized to facilitate online participation through Zoom, including simultaneous interpretation in EN, DE, and FR. The link to the Zoom meeting will be sent to registered participants. You can register now for the public events here.

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