Fireside Chat on Digital Souvereignity with State Secretary Milen Starke

We are pleased to invite you to our opening Fireside Chat on November 26th, 2026. 

Thuringia’s State Secretary for Digitalization and Government Modernization, Milen Starke, will be joined by Dr Hasnain Bokhari, Head of Digital Policies at the Brandt School, Professor Thorsten Thiel, Professor for Democracy Promotion and Digital Policy at the University of Erfurt, and representatives of Thuringian businesses and industry. The event will be moderated by Fabian Wecker of PD – Berater der öffentlichen Hand GmbH.

They will examine Digital Sovereignty from both a regional and an international perspective. Join to discuss:

• Where does Thuringia stand today, and what does State Secretary Starke’s Ministry for Digitalization and Infrastructure see as the state’s next steps?
• How are other governments — within and outside the EU and the OECD — reducing their dependency on large tech providers?
• What can Thuringia learn from international approaches — and what can others learn from Thuringia?

Snacks and Drinks will be provided through our partner.