Zentrum für Europäische und Orientalische Kultur e.V. (ZEOK e.V.)

About us

The non profit making organisation ZEOK (Centre for European and Oriental Culture), founded in 2004, aims to encourage tolerance in all areas of culture and to further international understanding. The organisation sees itself as a bridge builder and tries to support cultural dialogue and cooperation between Orient and Occident. It strives to raise mutual understanding, and to represent and foster our common heritage in all its diversity.

A prerequisite for this is inter-cultural communication based on mutual respect. We value differences of identity while at the same time seeking to discover within these different identities the elements which bind us, and to portray them.

This is put into practice by:
• organising and carrying out events and projects centred round scientific and cultural dialogue, within a national and international framework,
• publishing an annual culture magazine called “Simurgh” as well as other publications (special editions),
• encouraging new blood in scientific and cultural fields, e.g. by teamwork.

Projects:
• Parents join in: Workshops on the subject of the German education system, with the participation of parents of children with a migration background.
• Contributing to showcase project: “Quality control in child day-care centres – measures to strengthen the integration of children with migrant backgrounds into communal facilities”.
• Empowerment for DAZ-teachers in Leipzig
• Global learning: upbringing and education with an awareness of prejudices. Further education for women with migrant backgrounds who have a basic qualification in education or would like to work in this area.
• interCultura: annual inter-cultural festival in Leipzig
• Early inter-cultural learning „Weltkiste“: encourages children and juveniles to tolerate and accept people with a different cultural, ethnic and religious background.
• Inter-cultural youth work: Culture BOX – “Weltkiste” for older children
• Schools for parents in Leipzig: inclusion of parents in kindergartens and schools, raising awareness among them and encouraging them to play an active rôle.
• Project to maintain the cultural heritage of the western Sahara. ZEOK discovery and language tours.
• Integration monitoring project: “culture pilots” guide migrants and help them to orient themselves in the community.
• SRIJAN – a German-Indian project.
• SIMURGH-Culture magazine: This annual publication is a platform for ZEOK members and their guests, forming a bridge between cultures. It contains articles by scientists, artists and others on various subjects connected to the concerns and projects of our organisation.

Cihan Köroglu is the coordinator for projects and publicity in ZEOK.

On request we can offer other net participants advice and provide up to date information and contacts in the field of our work.