From Vienna, Austria

“My relationship with China started forty years before I was born, in 1959. While Algeria was still fighting for its independence, a delegation from the provisional government of the Republic of Algeria, which my grandfather was part of, was received by  Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai. The People’s Republic of China, ten years young and struggling, was one of the first to recognize Algeria’s sovereignty. For me, growing up, China was this symbol that proved that humans, regardless of the differences in their identities and histories or the distances between their nations, can be united when they share a vision of hope and persist in their fight for freedom in the face of oppression. What was especially striking to me was the simultaneity of ancient tradition and utmost modernity, which never seemed too far apart. I hope this program will allow me to gain a multi-faceted and in-depth perspective of a country and society the development, structure and economy of which increasingly impact other countries and their societies; the intersections of cultures and economies in a rapidly globalizing world are not only growing more and more personally relevant to me but also increasingly complex and fascinating.”