Professor Shi Anbin was invited to attend the “Your Image in My Eye: China in the German media, Germany in the Chinese Media”international academic forum in Berlin from Oct. 6 to Oct. 10, sponsored by Robert Bosch Stiftung and organized by the Confucius Institute of Heidelberg University. Prof. Shi delivered a keynote speech titled “Dischanting the Myth of National Image” and hosted a panel discussion on the theme of national image, in which theoretical and practical perspectives were discussed and exchanged between the corporate representatives from China and Germany.

As representative of Chinese media experts, Professor Shi introduced the overall characteristics of Chinese media and the knowledge structure among Chinese citizens to the audiences in Berlin during the final podium discussion of the forum. He emphasized the importance of media education and civic education to shape a cosmopolitan group with international scope in the age of globalization. Professor Shi pointed out that the internationalization of Chinese universities has enabled larger groups of foreign students to experience and realize an in-depth and diversified connotation of the word “China” through education. In addition, to promote the reciprocal communication between heterogeneous societies, a diverse and comprehensive media reporting in international media organizations are also considered to be a prerequisite of the “disenchantment” of national image.Chinese journalist Dai Wenming from Oriental Outlook and German correspondent Felix Lee from TAZ elaborated on this point by respectively introducing and comparing the Chinese and German media’s standard on news selection and reporting.

As a part of Robert Bosch Stiftung’s “Dialogue with China” program, this forum originates from the series of “German-Chinese Cultural Dialogue”. With an emphasis on media image, it commits to promoting understanding and cooperation between China and Germany as well as media practitioners and experts. Sinologist Barbara Mittler from Confucius Institute of Heidelberg University and Professor Judith Pies from Institute of Journalism of Bundeswehr University Munichalso attended this forum.