The BÖLT Meer project in cooperation with the Philippine Embassy in Germany held a networking event on November 2, 2026 entitled "Routes and Roots: How ASEAN Scientists in the Diaspora Protect Biodiversity Back Home" as part of the Berlin Science Week Citywide Programme. Held within the framework of the Philippines’ 2026 ASEAN Chairship, the event spotlighted the vital bridge diaspora scientists and regional institutions build between German academic institutions and biodiversity conservation in Southeast Asia. The event featured the Executive Director of the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) alongside a panel discussion, and four PechaKucha presentations. A focused group workshop followed in the afternoon to discuss how different sectors especially the academia can contribute to biodiversity conservation while navigating geopolitical tensions on the South China Sea. The gathering strategically positioned diaspora ASEAN scientists and the ACB as catalysts following the conclusion of the UN Biodiversity Conference (CBD COP 17) in Yerevan, Armenia, and prior to the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP 31) in Antalya, Turkey.
Photo credit: Philippine Embassy in Berlin