Panel discussion opens coordination office for dealing with colonial heritage in Thuringia

The mission of the coordination office is to stimulate academic and social dialogue on the "Colonial Heritage in Thuringia" and to highlight its various facets. The focus is on the specific contribution that universities and research projects can make in the current debate about colonial heritage. Cooperative projects with museums and civil society should help to uncover gaps, close knowledge gaps and jointly develop new perspectives on the colonial past and its aftermath. In the panel discussion organised by the coordination office, challenges will be identified and perspectives for a reappraisal of Thuringia's colonial heritage will be outlined.

The opening event will first feature a keynote speech by Peggy Piesche (head of the subject area Diversity, Intersectionality and Decoloniality at the Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung in Gera). She will then discuss with Iris Rajanayagam (Head of the subject area Diversity, Intersectionality and Decoloniality at the Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung in Gera), Dr Urs Lindner (Decolonize Erfurt), Professor Anja Laukötter (University of Jena) and Dr Thomas T. Müller (President of the Museumsverband Thüringen e.V.). Professor Omar Kamil from the University of Erfurt will be the host. Welcoming addresses will be given by State Secretary Dr Katja Böhler (Ministry of Economy, Science and Digital Society), Professor Benedikt Kranemann (Vice President for Research and Graduate Services at the University of Erfurt) and Professor Georg Pohnert (Vice President for Research at the University of Jena).