News & Events

The ASC Library recently acquired this documentary film about two men who work for the Chinese Railway Engineering Company in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The men  represent two different cultures who clash in the dust of the former Belgian colony: Chinese Lao Yang and Congolese Eddy, who speaks Mandarin fluently. An occasionally hilarious report of a less than stable working relationship, which also reflects the unstoppable rise of China. The film is the subject of our latest Acquisition Highlight.

Just a few days left before the Africa Works! conference takes off! The ASC and the NABC are organizing this international conference on 16 & 17 October. 600+ participants have already joined in. In addition to keynotes by e.g. Lilianne Ploumen (Netherlands Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation) and Julia Duncan-Cassell (Liberia Minister of Gender and Development), forty workshops will be held. Check out the conference website www.africaworks.nl for the latest news and - during the conference - films and interviews.

The Africa Works! conference on 16 & 17 October was a big success! More than 700 people joined in the Holiday Inn in Leiden. The conference brought together knowledge institutes, companies, NGOs and policymakers to create new partnerships. Julia Duncan-Cassell, the Liberia Minister of Gender and Development, was guest of honour. Hans Docter, Dutch Special Envoy on Ebola, received a petition that was drawn up during the conference. Lilianne Ploumen, Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, closed the conference. Read on to find some of the keynote speeches and an overview of media coverage. Have a look at the pictures!