Anne Hardt, Germany
Mundus MAPP candidate
Class of 2017
Intern, Centre for Cultural Relations - Caucasian House
I am doing my internship at the Caucasian House. It's a fascinating place with a very interesting history. It has its roots in something called the Central Editorial Board for Translation of Fiction and Literary Relations, which was established in 1973 at the initiative of historian and literary figure Otar Nodia, and through the mediation of Eduard Shevardnadze, who was then the first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Georgia. Their motivation was to translate the masterpieces of Georgian authors into foreign languages.
The Caucasian House has struggled through some tough times, but it remains a dynamic place for dialog among people from different cultures and religions. It is working to create a Caucasus where different nations can peacefully coexist, cooperate, and acknowledge their common problems and interests. The hope is that in this shared cultural space, nations will be able to embrace their identities and ensure protection of their living space and cultural heritage, guided by principles of ethnic, cultural, and religious tolerance and solidarity. Over time, Caucasian House has added two more programs: the Caucasian research program and the peace-building and minority integration program.
As an intern in the peace-building and minority integration program, I have written an article about Brexit and a blog about life and culture in Georgia. My duties also include assisting with administrative and logistical issues as they come up – everything from proofreading, researching best practices on regulations for Muslim education in Europe, to finding hotels for conferences.
I have learned a lot during this internship about the Caucasian region and its conflicts, and about the efforts and limitations for peaceful cooperation and integration. Since I would like to work in the area of development/peace and conflict and to combine these sectors with a focus on Eastern Europe, these insights have been invaluable. Through my blog I have also learned different styles of writing and alternative approaches to framing articles and messages.
My colleagues have provided me with great insights into public policy in Georgia and the Caucasus. They have also helped me to identify some good weekend trips. For example, I visited Tusheti National Park, an area that is nearly untouched and is only accessible three months a year.
My internship is an important step toward what I hope will be a career focused on Eastern Europe. It has given me a chance to author my first publication and to deepen my knowledge about public policy and policy transfer from Georgia, which is the topic of my master's thesis and might become a PhD topic some day too.
Read more student internship profiles here.