The Indo-German Media Network will debut at re:publica 2024 in Berlin on 27 May. re:publica is in its 17th year and is one of Germany's most well-known media, political, and technological conferences. Attendance includes some of the most influential names in German politics, global technology thought leaders, and media representatives. The theme for the year is ‘Who cares?’
The Indo-German Media Network has four programs lined up for the first day of re:publica 2024.
Let’s brunch about India (12.30 - 13.30 hrs)
We kick off the proceedings with a panel titled ‘Let’s brunch about India’ featuring IGMN board members Natalie Mayroth and Julia Wadhwan, former board member Nimish Sawant, and podcaster Dunya Wasella. This panel's idea is to contextualize India's current state and its importance on the global stage. Despite many Indians living and working in Germany, there’s still a gap in the perceptions between the two countries. Over samosas and chai, we want to get people together to exchange ideas, discuss questions, and address perceptions about India. Let’s have fun, let’s be serious, let’s discuss. Let’s just talk.
Who cares about India? - A Chai Talk (13.45 to 14.45 hrs)
Last year, when Germany’s minister for transport and digitalization, Volker Wissing, tried out the Unified Payments Interface or UPI to make a transaction while purchasing vegetables from a street vendor, that experience left him ‘fascinated’. For many in India, paying through a smartphone using just a mobile number has been something we have been doing since 2017. In Germany, digitalization is a huge topic of discussion, but compared to India, there’s a huge scope for improvement.
In ‘Who cares about India?’, a panel discussion moderated by Natalie Mayroth, the challenges posed by digitalization will be discussed with Nadja-Christina Schneider (IAAW Humboldt-Universität Berlin), Udbhav Tiwari (Director, Global Product Policy, Mozilla) and Sharinee Lalit Jagtiani (Senior Officer, AI and Democracy, German Marshall Fund of the United States).
India’s digital transformation has given big tech giants a lot of business. This transformation has benefited millions, giving them access to online financial services and an improved digital infrastructure. The new configurations of digital society translate to real-life changes for many companies, women, NGOs, and others. At the same time, freedom of speech and research has declined, while hate speech on social media has increased. India's digital transformation promises a bright future, but it also holds challenges for the country's 1.4 billion citizens. Moreover, on a global scale, we need to recognize that we cannot solve the big global problems of our time without India. So why shouldn't we care?
Milliarden Stimmen – Indien wählt (16.15 to 17.15 hrs)
Unlike the German elections, where the voting and counting happen on the same day, Indian elections happen over multiple phases. This year, the elections began on 19 April and will continue till 1 June, with the results being announced on 4 June.
This German panel, moderated by Dunya Wasella, host of the podcast Milliarden Stimmen (Billion Votes), will discuss the election season in India with Dr. Christian Wagner from the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, journalist Natalie Mayroth and the Mathias O'Mahony, the host of the podcast Milliarden Stimmen. Given India's geopolitical importance in the multipolar world, Germany is looking at India with renewed interest. Topics will be discussed: Who are the main parties, what do they stand for? What is being voted for in India? And how does election campaigning work in a country that does not share a common language, religion, or culture?
Yoga Macht Gesellschaft (18.45 to 19.15 hrs)
For some, yoga is gymnastics; for others, it is a consumerist lifestyle or the navel-gazing of overworked millennials. Yet, it is a science with social relevance. In this lecture, IGMN board member Julia Wadhawan will explore what Yoga has to do with posture and why one doesn’t need a mat or any additional equipment.
Five per cent of the German population does yoga from time to time. Or 16, if we count those who practise occasionally. That's not a lot, but it's still enough to say that yoga has arrived in the mainstream. Julia wants to show how yoga came about and continues developing. What influence the ancient Indian teachings have had on modern disciplines such as psychology and how we can use this knowledge to find our bearings in today's world - even outside the yoga studio.
We hope to see you around!