What challenges do rural areas face in their pursuit to attract citizens, businesses, and tourism? And how do we develop rural regions with an identity of their own and not just copy-pasting urban thinking? 

These questions formed the starting point for an ongoing German-Danish dialogue initiated by the German ZEIT-Stiftung Ebelin und Gerd Bucerius in cooperation with the architecture communication agency THE LINK, the Centre of Rural Research of the University of Southern Denmark, and the Danish Embassy in Berlin.

Join this session about cross-border perspectives on ways to develop rural areas. This panel debate gives insight into the results of two workshops held this year in May on Fehmarn and in September in the Danish-German border region.

Via open calls, young planners and scholars were invited to join an interdisciplinary dialogue, which – among other themes – dived into questions such as ecological transformation, sustainable tourism, and the potential of historical buildings

An example among others discussed is Fehmarn, a region that combines old with new, metropolis and province, land, and sea like no other. The island connects Germany and Denmark and the metropolitan regions of Hamburg and Copenhagen. In the May workshop also aspects on the development across the border, on Lolland-Falster, will be part of the discussion.

Being a focus in Danish and German politics alike, it is relevant to investigate connections, similarities and differences existing between rural areas in Germany and Denmark. We will also share the experiences gained while creating a Danish-German dialogue in this field as well as insights into the role of the Danish embassy in this process.

Participants
Dr. Anna Hofmann, Head of Research and Scholarship and academic coordinator for the programme “Rural Futures”ZEIT-Stiftung Ebelin und Gerd Bucerius , Hamburg
Prof. Egon Bjørnshave Noe, Head of the Institute of Rural Research, University of Southern Denmark
Birgitte Tovborg Jensen, Head of projects Culture & Public Diplomacy, Royal Danish Embassy Berlin

Moderated by: Luis Rieken, Zeit-Stiftung

Relevante links:

ZEIT-Stiftung Ebelin und Gerd Bucerius

The Centre of Rural Research – University of Southern Denmark

Royal Danish Embassy Berlin

The Link