The Asia-Pacific-Weeks took place on 17th September for the 8th time and ended very successfully. On more than 140 activities in culture, economics and science, experts were discussing about questions for the future on the topics health, food and water.

With over 700 participants in the first week of the APW, there is a noticable rising economic interest in the area Asia-Pacific.

In the second week of the APW, third party organisators presented a variety of 33 exciting activities related to the Asia-Pacific area in the Berliner Rathaus.

Under the heading “Asia-Pacific: Partner for a Common Future”, the 7th Asia-Pacific Weeks focused on the priority themes of “mobility” and “energy”.

The business and science program included two specialist conferences on mobility and energy, held from 8 to 10 October at the Berlin Town Hall, and, from 12 to 17 October, other symposia, conferences, and “business days” on individual countries of the Asian-Pacific region.

Ten days of art and culture from the Asian-Pacific region: as a center for non-European art and culture, the Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW) coordinated the cultural program of the Asian-Pacific Weeks. Three new high-profile partners joined the team: the National Gallery at Hamburger Bahnhof, RADIALSYSTEM V, and the theater Hebbel am Ufer. Each of these institutions organized a program that reflects its artistic and curatorial focus. The AEDES Forum für zeitgenössische Architektur, the Deutsch-Japanische Gesellschaft, NEXT – Interkulturelle Projekte, Fashion Patrons, and the Neue Gesellschaft für Bildende Kunst (NGBK) presented other projects on urban development, fashion, young people’s art, and theater.

With more than 700,000 visitors and more than 250 events, the 2007 Asia-Pacific Weeks (APW), which were held from 10 to 23 September and took as their theme “Asia-Pacific: Changing the World,” were another huge success, helping to further reinforce Berlin’s position as a major venue for dialogue between Asia and Europe.

The focus this year was not just on Asia’s general growth in importance, but also on reciprocal influence, economic opportunities, and cultural ties between the Asia-Pacific region and Europe. Conferences and discussions revolved around “Sustainability in Urban Infrastructure” and “Creative Industries” and brought in Asian and German experts.

With the “usAsia” program put on by the House of World Cultures and countless exhibitions, readings, concerts, and film series, as well as the APW’s first program for children and young people, the Asia-Pacific Weeks cultural program took visitors on a journey of discovery through tradition and modernity in the Far East.

In the fall of every other year since 1997, Berlin becomes a “gateway to Asia,” when Germany’s capital city hosts several hundred events focusing on business, science, politics, and culture and inspiring dialogue with this booming region of the world.

The Asia-Pacific Weeks are an initiative of the Governing Mayor of Berlin.

The fifth Asia-Pacific Weeks (APW) took place from 19 September to 2 October 2005 and focused on Korea. Over 700,000 people visited the more than 300 events of this year’s APW. 250 of these events had a cultural focus, while 37 were devoted to business and 28 to science.

21 countries from the Asian-Pacific region were represented in the APW’s program. Korea, the country focus, attracted a large and interested public with around 110 cultural, business, and scientific events.

Highlights of this year’s APW were:

• the opening ceremony with Germany’s President Horst Köhler,


• the Korean-German Business Conference of the Asia-Pacific Committee of German Business (APA),


• the open-air festival “inMotion Asia-Pacific” at Museum Island,


• the event series “Spaces and Shadows” on Southeast Asia at the House of World Cultures,


• the tsunami conference with Federal Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul,


• the lecture of the Korean stem cell researcher Woo Suk Hwang as part of the life sciences program of the TSB Technology Foundation Berlin,


• the business day on Thailand organized by the Asia-Pacific Forum Berlin (APFB) with Deputy Prime Minister H. E. Phinij Jarusombat,


• and the APFB’s debate on “China versus India” as a business location.

The fourth Asia-Pacific Weeks (APW) took place from 15 to 28 September 2003 and focused on India. With a total of 280 events and even more than a million visitors, the APW 2003 were again a huge success. Of special note was the involvement of 13 embassies from the region, more than twice as many as in 2001.

The country focus India, fascinated visitors with a glimpse into its unique cultural treasure chest, ranging from the exhibition “The Sublime and the Ascetic – Early Sculptures from India”, dance and theater, concerts, literary events, and film series to contemporary forms of Indian art. The event series “bodies.city – New Perspectives from India”, organized by the House of World Cultures, painted an impressive picture of the various facets of Indian contemporary art. At the same time, however, the cultures of many other countries, especially China, Japan, and Korea, were also respresented with high-caliber events.

The Indo-German Business Conference of the Asia-Pacific Committee of German Business (APA), with the involvement of two large Indian business delegations, and very diverse presentations of and by the Indian business community illustrated the achievements and potential of the Indian subcontinent, especially in the information technology and service sectors. Other business events focused on Australia, Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Pakistan, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

The Market of Asian-Pacific Cultures at Schlossplatz on Unter den Linden in Berlin-Mitte again proved to be extremely popular with the public. With 60 hours of a very diverse stage program, delicious culinary specialities, and colourful stands, it attracted up to 30,000 visitors a day.

We would like to thank the organizers and sponsors, who made the APW 2003 program possible.

The third Asia-Pacific Weeks, held from 17 to 20 September 2001, were a tremendous success. With China as thecountry focus and with the involvement of the State Council Information Office of the People’s Republic of China, the China Fest was the largest presentation of Chinese culture ever shown abroad.

The high-level Chinese-European Business Congress organized by the Asia-Pacific Forum Berlin rounded off the business program on China. Another 180 events on 16 different countries of the Asian-Pacific region offered a fascinating kaleidoscope view of the region this year, too. An excellent example of this variety was the Market of Asian-Pacific Cultures.

We would like to thank all of the organizers and Sponsors, who made the APW 2001 program possible.

The Asia-Pacific-Weeks took place from 27th September until 10th October 1999 for the second time. Japan was the first regional focus that has been decided upon and at the same time, it was also decided to concetrate the Asia-Pacific-Weeks to a time period of two weeks.

Altogether, about 150.000 guests visited over 110 cultural events of the APW in year 1999. Approximately 3.500 interested parties took part the 38 economic and investment seminars, whereas another 500.000 guests experienced the 10-day long open air event “Market of the Asia-Pacific Cultures”.

Some of the 100 Organizatiors who took part in the APW are trade associations, federal ministries, universities and companies as well as cultural associations, galleries, institutions for development cooperation and other educational establishments and providers.

The first Asian-Pacific-Weeks (APW) were held from 15th September until 15th October 1997 and were instantly a big success. The first APW did not have a regional focus yet, thus countries from the Asia-Pacific Region have participated and contributed to the APW equally.

The breakthrough of the APW was also thanks to the highly ranked curatory and the patronage of federal president Roman Herzog, who opened the event with a ceremonial act in the Berliner Rathaus.