Berlin Economic Forum 2015

"Innovative Nation Branding: Creative Economies, Sustainable Tourism & Responsible Foreign Investments"

Held Parallel to the Berlin International Tourism Trade Fair (ITB)
(International Conference, Berlin; March 4th - 7th, 2015)

Forum Agenda

March 4th, 2015
10:00 “Creative Economies, Sustainable Tourism & Foreign Investments”
Mark C. Donfried
(Director General, Institute for Cultural Diplomacy)

10:30 “Managing Competitive Environments - Why Computer Games are better than Business Schools”
Wilhelm K. Weber
(Partner, SHS Swiss Hospitality Solutions AG)

11:00 “Sustainable Tourism Mobility as a Driver for Economic Growth”
Maria Stylianou Michaelidou
(Manager, Limassol Tourism Board, Cyprus)

11:30 Break
12:00 "Alpine Pearls: International Cooperation for Sustainable Tourism in the European Alps"
Karmen Mentil
(Alpine Pearls Tourism Consulting)

13:00 Lunch Break
14:30 “Introducing America's Native Nations to the World”
Camille Ferguson
(Executive Director, American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association)

15:00 “Innovative Nation: Branding Israel”
Minister Avraham Nir-Feldklein
(Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Israel to Germany)

15:30 “Welcome Travel Guide 2.0: Favoroute.com!”
Frederike Wolter
(Founder, favoroute.com)

16:15 Break

17:00 “Nation Branding: Competitive Identity, Critical Enabler”
Anita Mendiratta
(Founder & Managing Director, CACHET Consulting)

17:30 Reception in Honour of the Launch of the Berlin Campus of Babes-Bolyai University

19:00 Welcome Address
Patrick Saint Hilaire
Chargé d'Affaires, Embassy of Haiti to Germany

19:15 Keynote Address Minister Stéphanie Balmir Villedrouin Ministry on Tourism and Creative Industries Haiti

19:45 Haitian Concert
Rachelle Jeanty
(Singer)

20:15 Haiti Reception

March 5th, 2015
10:00 "Perspectives on Saudi Economy"
Dr. Abdulrahman Alhumedhi
(Cultural Attaché, Embassy of Saudi Arabia to Germany)

10:30 "History and Nation Branding – the Romanian Case"
Rector Ioan-Aurel
(Rector, Babes-Bolyai University)

11:00 "Nation Branding and Global Interconnectedness"
Prof. Dr. Vasile Puscas
(Jean Monnet Ad Personam Chair, Professor, Institute for European Studies, Babes-Bolyai University)
11:30 Interactive Panel Discussion
Creative Economies, Sustainable Tourism & Foreign Investments
Rector Ioan-Aurel
(Rector, Babes-Bolyai University)
Prof. Dr. Vasile Puscas
(Jean Monnet Ad Personam Chair, Professor, Institute for European Studies, Babes-Bolyai University)
12:00 Break

12:30 Keynote Address
Minister Dr Edward Zammit Lewis B.A., LL.D., M.P.
(Minister of Tourism of Malta)
13:00 Lunch
14:30 “The Importance of Tourism for Economic Development”
George Chogovadze
(Head of Administration, Brand Development Department, Georgian National Tourism Administration, Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia)

15:00 “The Role of Tourism in the Economic Emergence of Morocco”
Minister Lahcen Haddad
(Minister of Tourism of Morocco)

16:00 “Kyrgyz Republic Tourism Opportunities Presentation”
Presentation and Reception

(Embassy of Kyrgyzstan to Germany)

17:00 "Portugal's Recovery"
H. E. Amb. Luis de Almeida Sampaio
(Ambassador of Portugal to Germany)
17:30 Evening Reception hosted by the Embassy of Pakistan
Keynote Address
Minister Chaudary Muhammad Barjees Tahir
(Federal Minister for Kashmir/Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan)
18:30 “The Promotion of the Croatian Tourism”
Minister Darko Lorencin
(Minister of Tourism of Croatia)

19:00 Reception
March 6th, 2015
10:00 “Bolivia: Sustainable Tourism and Its Incidence in the Economy” H. E. Amb. Elizabeth Salguero Carrillo
(Ambassador of Bolivia to Germany)

10:30 “Human Capital as a determinant of Growth” Aigerim Raimzhanova
(PhD Researcher of Cultural Diplomacy and International Relations, University of Bucharest, Romania & the Centre for Cultural Diplomacy Studies, ICD-Berlin)

11:00 “Intercultural Difference and Economic Outcome: An EU Perspective”
Noor Fatima
(Chairperson & Assistant Professor, Department of International Relations & Political Science, International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan)

11:30 Break

12:00 “Nation Branding - An Indian Perspective”
Ajay Prakash
(President, Institute of Planning & Technology India; Chief Executive, Nomad Travels)

12:30 Keynote Address
Sarah Richey
(Head International Coordination, Berliner Tafel e.V.)

13:00 Lunch Break

14:30 “Never Let a Good Crisis Go to Waste-Crisis Management as a Contribution to Nation Branding”
H. E. Amb. Gunnar Snorri Gunnarsson
(Ambassador of Iceland to Germany)
15:15 “Taking on a Volcano and Keep Going!”
Inga Hlin Palsdottir

(Director, Tourism & Creative Industries, Promote Iceland)
16:00 Keynote Address
H. E. Amb. Honduras Ramón Custodio Espinoza
(Ambassador of Honduras to Germany)
16:30 “Nation Branding in Burundi: Agents, Tools and Strategies”
H. E. Amb. Edouard Bizimana
(Ambassador of Burundi to Germany)
16:45 Keynote Address
Dr. Tomáš Ehler
(Chargé d'Affaires, Embassy of the Czech Republic to Germany)
17:45 Lightening of the Traditional Oil Lamp
17:50 Playing the National Anthems of Sri Lanka and Germany
17:55 Welcome Address
Mark C. Donfried
(Director General, Institute for Cultural Diplomacy (ICD))

18:00 Opening Remarks
H. E. Karunatilaka Amunugama
(Sri Lanka Ambassador to Germany)

18:05 Video Presentation on Sri Lanka
18:10 Key Note Speech Sri Lanka Tourism and Sustainable Development: its' Future
Minister Navin Dissanayake,
(Minister of Tourism and Sports of Sri Lanka)

18:30 Keynote Address
S.G Taleb Rifai
(Secretary General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO))

18:45 Interactive Panel Discussion
S.G Taleb Rifai
(Secretary General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO))
Minister Navin Dissanayake
(Minister of Tourism and Sports Sri Lanka)
H. E. Amb. Karunatilaka Amunugama
(Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Germany)
Rohana Athukorala
(Chairman, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau)
Pusghpakumara Manel Withana
(Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority)
19:00 Cultural Performance on Sri Lanka
19:30 Reception
March 7th, 2015
10:00 “Native Immersion: Indigenous & Local Tourism Enhancement through Storytelling”
Aurélie Debusschère

(Photographer & Tourism Consultant, Native Immersion CEO Founder)

10:30 Keynote Speech
Elsie Tembo

(Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Culture of Malawi)

11:00 Break
11:30 “Development Dilemma of under Developed Nations”
Rana Ehtisham Rabbain
(President, the Peace and Humanity Forum, Pakistan)
12:00 “Conflict, Its Economic Impact and Peace in Perspectives: A Call for a Shift in Consciousness”
Abel Ojo

(Managing Director for the Global Development and Capital Resources Ltd)
12:30 “It Happened Before: Reflections on Europe in Decline”
Katarzyna A. Przybyla

(Fulbright Scholar at the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame, US)
12:30 “It Happened Before: Reflections on Europe in Decline”
Katarzyna A. Przybyla

(Fulbright Scholar at the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame, US)
13:00 Keynote Address
Prof. Dr. Mircea Dumitru
(Rector, the University of Bucharest)
Prof. Dr. Prof. Dr. Dr. Vlad Nistor
(President of the Senate, University of Bucharest)
14:00 Lunch
15:00 "Islam in Berlin: Economic, Political, Cultural Opportunities and Challenges of Migration"
Keynote Address
Dr. Timo Lochocki,
(the German Marshall Found)
Marie Walter
(Freie Universität Berlin )
Havva Arik
(Unabhängige Patientenberatung Deutschland )
Mohamed Matar
(NBS Moschee & Kulturzentrum )