The Halftime Conference for German Chancellor Fellows 2022-24 was a five-day event held at Merseburg from April 24th to April 29th, 2023. The main objective of the program was to provide an opportunity for the fellows and hosts to come together and intensify their networking. Additionally, the conference aimed to enable the fellows to reflect on their stay thus far and speak about the progress they had made towards their project plans. Apart from networking, the program included excursions and appointments to enable the fellows to get to know the region, selected sights, and other interesting topics.
There were several sessions during the conference, with one on climate change being led by Durga Mohanakrishnan, a fellowship holder associated with DKKV. Other fellows such as Lebo M, Kalia Ruth, and Monica Mondal also contributed to the session with their respective projects on the topic of climate change and its disproportionate effects on marginalized communities. The session also aimed to explore solutions beyond borders to tackle the issue.
During the conference, Ronja Winkhardt-Enz from DKKV, the host organization supporting Durga Mohanakrishnan with her project in risk communication, actively took part in various sessions. Additionally, Ronja and Durga also conducted a short session on preparedness measures during extreme weather events. The Halftime Conference for German Chancellor Fellows 2022-24 not only allowed the fellows to intensify their networking but also provided them with an opportunity to reflect on their stay thus far and speak about the progress made towards their project plans. The various sessions and excursions were also beneficial in enhancing the fellows’ knowledge and experience.