Central Europe Explained

🎧 Episode 52: 20 Years of the EU enlargement💭 Do you remember May 1, 2004, when the European Union had its largest expansion? In this episode of Central Europe Explained, we hear personal stories from politicians, writers, and key figures who were part of this historic event.Listen to Benita Ferrero-Waldner, Noémi Kiss, Jiří Šitler, Juraj Droba and Rudolf Schicker share their memories and thoughts from that important day. We also look at the future, discussing the hopes of eight candidate countries working to join the EU.🇪🇺 This episode offers a heartfelt look at the past, present, and future of the EU. Produced by: Gloria Becerril🔗 Click here to read more about the event 20 Years of EU Enlargement & EU Elections 2024: Summary and Outlook from the Danube Region.#EUEnlargement #EU2004Expansion #CentralEurope #EUHistory #EuropeanUnion #EnlargementAnniversary #EUIntegration #EuropeanPolitics #EasternEurope #WesternBalkans #EUMembership

Central Europe Explained is back for a fourth season!As the world evolves, so do the narratives within the Danube Region and Central Europe. Our next season aims to foster the engagement between our listeners and all the pivotal issues taking place in our target region and the world. We want to show our audience that everything that happens around us in the spheres of finance, politics and science shapes our personal journeys too.  In this season, our podcast takes a bold step towards the heart of civil society, inviting guests to share their intimate narratives and personal journeys. Combining storytelling and the expertise of our team in ten episodes, our objective is to foster a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities that define our region.  With the support and expertise of the IDM team, we will offer a unique lens through which we will examine these personal narratives. Our experts enrich each story with their insights, contextualizing individual experiences within the broader landscape of the Danube Region and Central Europe. Are you interested in the future of the Danube Region? Then stay tuned to Central Europe Explained and remember to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite streaming platform!Central Europe Explained is a podcast series produced by the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe (IDM) and powered by Erste Group. 

Episode 50: 70 years IDM - Locating the future 🎙️ Celebrate 70 years of history and hard work with us on The Central Europe Explained Podcast! 🌐 In this special episode, host Gloria Becerril takes you through the Platinum Jubilee of the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe (IDM). Hear insights from distinguished speakers, including Austria's Federal President and Minister of Education, as they reflect on IDM's crucial role in shaping a resilient Europe.🔗 Dive into the event with exclusive audio clips on our YouTube channel and gain perspectives on IDM's past, present, and future. Director Sebastian Schäffer shares the challenges and achievements that define IDM's journey, offering a glimpse into the collaborative spirit of the dedicated team. Join us in celebrating this milestone and stay connected for more insights on our website and social media.🙌 A heartfelt thank you to our collaborators over the years! Together, let's continue "Locating the Future" for another 70 years. Thank you for being part of the IDM community. 🌟Edition: Gloria Becerril

EP 49 Gender EquiCEEty: Representation, inclusion and intersectionality in Central and Eastern Europe  Taking a brief look at statistics, it may seem that in many regards women in Central and Eastern Europe enjoy more (economic) equality and independence, especially if we consider the gender-pay gap, the percentage of female professionals in STEM fields, and female managers. But if we dig deeper will this image still hold?   In the new episode “Gender EquiCEEty: Representation, inclusion and intersectionality in CEE” of our podcast “Central Europe Explained”, Malwina Talik together with her guests Vladislava Gubalova (GLOBSEC) and Joanna Talewicz (Fundacja w Strong Dialogu) take a closer look at two specific issues: 1) the position of female professionals working in media and start-ups, and 2) the standing of women from the Romani community. Tune in!   Recommendations:   Vladislava Gubalova  A Bulgarian movie ‘Petya of my Petya’ (2022)   Joanna Talewicz Art by Małgorzata Mirga-Tas and Krzysztof Gil A Swedish movie Taikon A Polish Netflix series “Infamy”   Reports mentioned in the episode: Women’s Voices in the Media: A Look at Central Europe  Women in the Innovation Ecosystem Zooming in on Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia  CEEHer Initiative  Fundacja w Stronę Dialogu  Host: Malwina TalikEdition: Gloria Becerril 

Belonging and becoming: strengthening the EU projectIn this episode Daniel Martínek engages in an exploration of European identity and the challenges it faces. Our guest, Niccolò Milanese, founding director of European Alternatives, sheds light on the need to strengthen the European Union in the thick of growing Euroscepticism. We touch upon the interplay of human rights, democracy, and the rule of law in shaping the European identity, while considering the diverse interpretations of Europeanness across the region. Join us as we navigate these fundamental questions surrounding what it means to be European in today's evolving landscape. Our click here to know more about host's piece of art recommendation.Host: Daniel MartínekProduction and Editing: Gloria Becerril 

Is Europe still a fortress? Refugees in Central and Eastern EuropeIn CEE (and beyond) migration has become an issue that polarizes and evokes a wide range of emotions. In their conversation, Melanie Jaindl and Malwina Talik discuss three important dates in the recent history of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE): 2015 (the 'long summer of migration'), 2021 (the humanitarian crisis on the Poland-Belarus border), and 2022 (the Russian invasion of Ukraine). They explore how these events have been perceived in CEE, offer explanations for different attitudes, and examine their collective impact on the region. Our hosts' pieces of art recommendations:The Passage by Selma BanichBook Jezus umarł w PolsceHost: Malwina Talik and Melanie Jaindl, associates at IDM Production and Editing: Gloria Becerril 

Timișoara Unveiled: A Journey through Multiculturality, Art, and Communism  In 2023, the Romanian city of Timișoara holds the title of European Capital of Culture. Tourists are flocking to the city as it is thriving with art exhibitions and cultural events – one can literally find art around every corner in Timșioara these days. Amidst the art, visitors can also witness the historical heritage of Timișoara, a city with a rich and eventful past under the Ottomans, Austrians and Hungarians, and the first city to rise against the communist regime. This legacy has shaped Timișoara into a contemporary, multilingual and multicultural place that some consider to be quintessentially European. In this episode, Sophia Beiter shares her insights into this year’s European Capital of Culture. She talked to a variety of different guests – from the city’s mayor to young curators and independent artists. The episode delves into how multiculturality inspires the art scene in Timișoara, how inhabitants experienced the revolution in 1989, how communism still affects young artists in their work and how the title of European Capital of Culture can have a lasting positive impact.  Take a look at Maria Nalbantova’s artwork here.  Guests: Dominik Fritz, Ovidiu Mihaita, Maria Nalbantova, Cristina Stoenescu, Georgia Tidorescu, Oltea Zambori Host: Sophia Beiter, research associate at IDM Production and Editing: Gloria Becerril 

For most people holidays means a week at the beach, or a visit to picturesque cities. But that’s not the first things coming up in everyone’s mind. Some people seek the thrill, the misery: they visit places of previous genocide, natural and man-made catastrophes and former war zones. Places, of which Central-, East- and Southeast Europe have plenty – given the region’s specific historical, cultural and political context. Dark tourism describes these practices of travelling to places of human suffering. In this episode, Melanie Jaindl talks with Peter Hohenhaus to shed light on the motivations for visiting these extraordinary sites and how to deal with misery in a respectful manner. Hohenhaus runs a blog and website, where he shares his experiences of travelling the unconventional way, which he also put down in his book Atlas of Dark Destinations.Take a look at our guest's recommendation Shoes on the Danube Bank (Budapest): here.Host: Melanie Jaindl, Scientific Associate at IDM.In cooperation with: Darija BenicEditorial Support: Jade PenancierProduction and Editing: Gloria Becerril, Trainee at IDM and student at University of Padua.