Summer School A voice for Democracy
Zhanna Nemtsova is a guest in Bochum. At the invitation of the Nemtsov Foundation, a two-week international Summer School is taking place.
Update from 7 November 2023
The documentary "I do care" about the work of Zhanna Nemtsova has now been released. The film is available on YouTube and can be accessed directly below. Excerpts from the Summer School at Ruhr University Bochum can be seen from around minute 25:50 (until the end).
52 Documentary is a new weekly documentary series of Voice of America (VOA), the largest U.S. international broadcaster, providing news and information in more than 40 languages to an estimated weekly audience of 326 million people.
Original message from 18 July 2023
27 young media people as well as young scientists from Eastern Europe attend a two-week Summer School at Ruhr University Bochum. At the invitation of the "Boris Nemtsov Foundation for Freedom," they will complete the "Nemtsov Summer School of Journalism" in Bochum under the direction of Zhanna Nemtsova until July 28, 2023. She is the eldest daughter of politician Boris Nemtsov, who was assassinated in 2015. The Liaison Office for Eastern Europe/Central Asia of the University Alliance Ruhr (UA Ruhr) is organizing the stay in the Ruhr region.
The aim of the Summer School is to preserve the liberal journalism community, that means independent journalism in the Russian language. Participants will also be shown the possibilities of academic careers in Germany. "Media play a weighty role in a functioning democracy. Therefore, it is essential to stand up for freedom of the press and freedom of opinion and to support democratic forces," says Professor Martin Paul, Rector of Ruhr University Bochum. "Our special thanks go to Zhanna Nemtsova for coming to us in Bochum with this inspiring and thematically highly topical Summer School."
The Summer School has so far been held at Charles University in Prague.
Individuals are supported
The event is now part of the UA-Ruhr's activities related to Eastern Europe. This focus continues to be of great importance even after the restructuring of the Liaison Office for Eastern Europe/Central Asia. "Ruhr University distinguishes between state or political structures and individuals. For example, since the start of the war in Ukraine, cooperation with state-run Russian institutions had to be discontinued; nevertheless, we naturally welcome all people on our campus who stand on the ground of our liberal, Western values and who are committed to democracy, the rule of law, human rights and academic freedom," explains Elena Resch, head of the UA Ruhr's Eastern Europe/Central Asia Liaison Office.
A building block of internationalization
The philosophy and orientation of the Summer School fits very well with the strategy of internationalization at Ruhr University Bochum, which has clearly emerged in recent years. In essence it is about
- the commitment to the preservation of academic freedom in different contexts,
- advocacy for vulnerable, refugee or displaced target groups, and
- the effort to offer new perspectives for them at Ruhr University Bochum.