EVENTS
Open seminars, trade missions & events with Dunya participation
On regular basis, Dunya organises inhouse open seminars, either at our headquarters at Bayt al-Andalus (Antwerpen, Belgium), our IBS offices in Delhi (India), or at a clients's premises or meeting venue. Click here or on the picture to the left to get a flavour of what our offices are like.
Also, browse the list below to witness members of the Dunya team in action.
February 17, March 2, March 16 2012 - IBS INHOUSE LECTURE SERIES AT BAYT AL-ANDALUS : ART STORIES FROM INDIA
Three (modern) art stories from India, told by Francis Laleman. On February 17 2012, we explore the amazing output of Umrao Sher Gil (1870-1954), his daughter Amrita Sher Gil, and his grandson Vivan Sundaram. On March 2 2012, we discover the Shantiniketan school from Bengal, leading us from its founding father Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) and Abanindranath Tagore (1871-1951) to their modern offshoots. The series concludes on March 16 2012 with an exploration of the life and work of Nandalal Bose (1882-1966) who was without any doubt India's major artist/painter of the mid 20th century. All artists in this series are highlighted in the framework of crossing the bridges over cultural divides East/West, portraying the fact that modern communities worldwide might learn from these outstanding best practices in cultural diversity. All lectures are from 20:30 till 22:30. Price per person is € 10 per seminar, or € 25 for the series. Please send mail to francis.laleman@dunya.be to reserve your seat(s).
February 12, 2012 - JOKER/KARAVAAN LANDENCOCKTAIL 2012 - Introductory day to the dazzling world of travel destinations at Joker Reizen (Belgium). The day is organised by vzw Karavaan at the intercultural arts centre Het Zuiderpershuis, Antwerpen (Belgium). Guest speakers are Bob Elsen and Nathalie Meskens - both of whom will be introducing their latest book to the public. As a teaser to the India Reconaissance Days India Calo! at Bayt al-Andalus later this year (28-29/4 and 25-26/8), visitors can grab a genuine Cay Masala, prepared by Michaela Broeckx, hostess for Dunya and India Business Support at Bayt al-Andalus, Antwerpen. More info on the Landencocktail here.
January 19, 2012 - UNIZO Limburg & UNIZO Internationaal - LEREND NETWERK - Zaken doen met Nederland: Onderhandelen met en verkopen aan uw Noorderbuur - Dunya founding partner Eddy Van Hemelrijck, bogend op een uitgebreide internationale ervaring als ondernemer en Sales Channel manager, leert u uw bedrijfsactiviteiten succesvol uit te bouwen buiten de huidige marktgrenzen. Hoe benader ik de Noorderbuur? Wat zijn de interculturele gevoeligheden en verschillen? Hoe vang ik die op? Wat moet ik er verder mee? Hoe presenteer ik mijn bedrijf? Hoe sluit ik een verkoopsdeal af?
Eddy Van Hemelrijck is your coach to broadening your business scope across the Belgian/Netherlands frontier. Alwin Filippo, project leader at ROC Westerschelde, acts as a moderator, adding his first hand experiences to the debate. The event takes place at the Landcommanderij Alden Biesen. To participate, send mail to caroline.hoydonckx@unizo.lim.be (www.unizo.be/limburg).
December 20, 2011 - February 10 and March 23, 2012- IBS INHOUSE LECTURES AT BAYT AL-ANDALUS : SOCIAL STORIES FROM INDIA
Three social stories from India, told by Francis Laleman. On December 20, shortly after Francis's return from a visit to his educational programs in Bihar (India), we will be delving into The Blessings of Private Education. On February 10 2010, inspired by Kishore Mahbubani's pertinent questions on the matter, we discuss The Blessings of Human Rights and Freedom of Press. The series concludes on March 23 2012 with an analysis of The Blessings of Free Enterprise which have brought India to the center stage in today's global economy. All seminars are from 20:30 till 22:30. Price per person is € 10 per seminar, or € 25 for the series. Please send mail to francis.laleman@dunya.be to reserve your seat(s).
December 8, 2011 - UNIZO INTERNATIONAAL and BVA (Belgian-Vietnamese Alliance) -Zaken doen met Vietnam - In preparation of the Belgium-Vietnam Princely Mission (March 10-16, 2012), UNIZO Internationaal organises this evening on various aspects in dealing with Vietnam as a business partner. Speakers are Gijs Kooken (Attache Unizo Internationaal), Hubert Cooreman (erstwhile Belgian Ambassador to Vietnam), Christel Vereecken (Trade Finance Officer at KBC Bank), Marc Bogaerts (General Director at Agentschap voor Buitenlandse Handel), Dirk Nollet (Gedelegeerd Bestuurder Albatros nv), Jan Sap (Directeur-Generaal at UNIZO) and, delegated by Dunya, Harry Buvens (Import/Export Manager at Schepens and Co). Venue: Hotel Serwir at Sint Niklaas (Belgium). More info on the Belgian-Vietnamese Alliance here - more on the program here.
December 1, 2011 - UNIZO INTERNATIONAAL - LEREND NETWERK - Zaken doen met Nederland - Eddy Van Hemelrijck coaches and advises Belgian entrepreneurs in how to do business in/with the Netherlands. Where language is not an issue, cultural differences matter all the more! For more information, see the UNIZO website (here).
November 22, 2011 - UNIZO WESTHOEK - Zaken doen en werken over de Schreve - An evening in Hostellerie Kemmelberg (Heuvelland, West Flanders, Belgium), on opening business opportunities in France and/or working abroad in France. Legal and fiscal matters are highlighted by Marnix Cornette (RFN sarl), whereas the main cultural differences and matters of work ethics and business etiquette are introduced by Francis Laleman, who might have travelled the world in the mean time, but still maintains intimate links with the Westhoek, the area of his family roots. The evening is organised by Unizo Westhoek, in collaboration with Unizo Internationaal. More information here.
November 16-17-30, 2011 - UNIZO WESTHOEK - Invloed van cultuurverschillen op het koopgedrag - Three winter evenings in De Westhoek, the westernmost corner of West Flanders, Belgium, where the French Republic is never far away. And although the French in this area share most of their history and culture with the Flemings across the Belgian border, cultural differences nevertheless are at play, particularly with regard to successfully attracting cross-over customers to retail businesses, as a recent study conducted by Dr Marie Van Looveren (WES, see Press Release in Dutch here) has amply shown.
On three evenings, in Veurne (16/11), Poperinge (17/11) and Wervik (30/11), Francis Laleman, Dunya consultant with family roots in the area, explores these differences, and guides the audience through means and methods to lure the other customer into one's business and turn him/her into a regular. The series is organised by Unizo Westhoek, more information here.
October 31 till Nov 13, 2011 - DUNYA /IBS IN INDIA - For two consecutive weeks, Francis Laleman is available on request at our India Business Support (IBS) offices in Gurgaon (Delhi), with visits to Patna (Bihar) and Bangalore (Bengaluru, Karnataka). En-route, Francis is visiting the Jeevan Deep community development projects in Bodhgaya (for more info on our involvement with this Dalit Development Program, see our website at Anand.be). For those who would like to have appointment with Francis while available in India, please send mail to francis.laleman@dunya.be.
October 27, 2011 - Unizo Internationaal at Intermotel (Lummen, Limburg) - Succesvol Zakendoen met Duitsers - For Belgium, Germany is both a key export market and an important business partner - and it is generally felt that the business opportunities in/with Germany, for Belgians, far exceed the actual performance levels. This evening focuses on means and methods to overcome stage fright when it comes to dealing with Germans and Germany. Speakers are Eveline Aernaudts (DRU), Robert Giraud (FIT, Flanders Investment and Trade, Vlaams Economisch Vertegenwoordiger in Koln), Dany Segers (Bio-Racer, Re-Skin) and Francis Laleman (Dunya). The event is organised in collaboration with KBC Bank, VIA (Vlaanderen in Actie - Pact 2020), Agentschap Ondernemen, and European Union / EFRO (Europees Fonds voor Regionale Ontwikkeling)- More info and enrollment procedures here.
October 22, 2011 - Connections Infoday: Connect with Asia - Thailand, India, Sri Lanka - At the Connections South Asia infoday at Vilvoorde (Belgium), Sr India expert Francis Laleman is introducing South India (Tamilnadu and Kerala). Other subjects covered at the event are Thailand, Northern India and Sri Lanka. For all information and registration, visit the connections.be website here.
October 18, 2011 till March 27, 2010 - ANTWERP MANAGEMENT SCHOOL & UNIZO INTERNATIONAAL - Opleiding Laureaat Exportmanagement - From Oct 18 onwards, the University of Antwerp Management School (UAMS) and Unizo Internationaal organize a new one-year cycle to obtain a special degree in export management (Dutch language medium). The cycle answers questions such as Where to find support organisations when developing across-borders activities?, How to develop a distribution network abroad?, How to draw a legally correct international sales agreement?, and many more. All courses are given by professors, lecturers, export managers and CEOs with a comprehensive international trade experience. Francis Laleman, Sr Expert in Asian, Cross-cultural and Intercultural Studies and Sr Consultant at Dunya, is responsible for the subject of Intercultural Matters in Export Businesses. More info and enrollment at UAMS or Unizo.
September 29, 2011 - Expand 11 (Event organised by UNIZO INTERNATIONAAL) - Hoe als kleine Belg de Wereld veroveren? - Francis Laleman introduces the evening session at Expand 11, an event by Unizo Internationaal at Eskimo Fabriek in Gent (Belgium), with Veronique Goossens, Herman Schueremans, Jan Hoet, Dirk Brossé, Patrick Lefevere and Steven Cuypers (CEO Orfit). Point of departure is the virtue of modesty in business, a feature often ascribed to themselves by Flemings, the workings of which, however, are not usually fully understood. How can Flemings avoid the trap of modesty and turn it into a USP instead? - More info here.
September 15, 2011 - Dunya Open Seminar - Bing Fa, or: The Art of War - You might think of waging a war (We certainly hope you are not!), or you might consider strategems to improve your business (We do hope you are!), or you might be on the verge of stress induced collapse unless you find means to make your leadership style more efficient (Be sure we do empathise!): whatever your initial condition might be, this workshop is for you, dear manager! From a Chinese classic from remote antiquity, Francis Laleman takes a series of pragmatic hints, allusions and advices, and translates these into our modern business jargon. And see: all of a sudden we realise that we are not the first to be struggling with this or that problem or this or that piece of nuisance. Suntzu has been there and seen that!, and from his experience we are free to grab in the basket and eat the fruits. A mind opener workshop, not to be missed..
This retake of one of Dunya's inhouse classics is open to everyone. The session starts at 14:00 and ends at 17:30. Participation costs are at € 200 per person. The number of participants is limited: be sure to subsxcribe in time by sending mail to info@dunya.be.
June 26, 2011 - Dunya in Amman, Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya (Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan). - With matters being so much on the move in the Middle East, this is certainly the time to think of how to establish successfull relationships with the Arab world - which is why Dunya will be spending a full month (July 2011) at Amman, ready to receive you and facilitate your way through the labyrinths of setting up business contacts, making appointments, and speaking a common language opening up to future success.
If you wish to set up a meeting with Dunya and discuss openings and possibilities, contact michaela.broeckx@dunya.be and/or francis.laleman@dunya.be as soon as you can.
May 6-7-8, 2011 - The Cofib56 Film Seminar at Neerpelt (Belgium) is devoted to Indian Films and Migration, shedding light, among much more, on the sociological aspects of Indians living and working abroad - and thus having an immanent factor of interest for anyone working with Indian colleagues. On show are recent films by Aditya Chopra, R. Balki, Mira Nair, Deepa Mehta, Kiran Rao and Vikramaditya Motwane. The showings are interlaced with lectures and debates, with keynote speakers such as Rajinder Dudrah (University of LManchester, UK), Kaleem Aftab (The Independent), Iris Vandevelde (University of Antwerpen, Belgium), Mayke Vermeren (coordinator at Zebra Cinema) and sr India expert Francis Laleman (Dunya, India Business Support). For a detailed program and particulars (in Dutch), click here.
February 24-25-26, 2011 - Dunya Open Seminar - Hyderabad, Cyberabad - Three full days of discovery: a virtual tour through the old Islamic city of Hyderabad, erstwhile a fully independent country the size of France and now the capital of Andhra Pradesh (India).
As Cyberabad, it is today one of the major global hubs in the IT and callcentre worlds, and the preferred destination for many European and American offshoring/outsourcing ventures. The program consists of lectures, workshops, a guest lecture by one of the main Hyderabadi industrialists of today, two films, and a range of Hyderabadi cuisine and culture. More details will follow shortly.
Please take into account that the number of delegates participating in this event will be limited. Advance bookings are accepted at info@dunya.be.
February 15, 2011 - Kauri Stakeholder Dialogue with Belgian Development Agency (BTC-CTB) Dunya, representend by Francis Laleman, contributes to a Stakeholder meeting at the Belgian Development Agency. The Belgian development agency mobilises its resources and its expertise to eliminate poverty in the world. BTC contributes to the efforts of the international community and works towards a society that provides present and future generations with sufficient resources to build a sustainable and fair world. Its staff members in Brussels and overseas embody the commitment of the Belgian State and other development partners to international solidarity. They support more than 300 cooperation projects in some 20 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
The dialogue meeting is organised by Kauri. More info and related documents here.
February 8, 2011 - Colour my TV! Dunya participates in a seminar-cum-workshop on the development of intercultural skills in the audiovisual media sector in Belgium. Eddy Van Hemelrijck facilitates the proceedings, the outcome should be a better balanced intercultural image on your TV screen.
The event is organised by Mediarte (Sociaal Fonds voor de Audiovisuele Sector) and the Cel Diversiteit of the VRT (Vlaamse Radio en Televisie). More info (in Dutch) here.
January 27, 2011 - Frankrijk à la Carte. Dunya participates in an event on the intercultural aspects of doing business in France. The seminar is jointly organised by UNIZO Internationaal, Flanders Investment and Trade, KBC, Vlaanderen in Actie (Pact 2020), Agentschap Ondernemen and European Union- EFRO, and is to be held at the Kortrijk Xpo Meeting Center (Belgium). Keynote speakers are Bernard Sironval (Head of Operations at EXKi) and Francis Laleman (Dunya). More info (in Dutch) here.
December 26, 2010 till January 22, 2011 - Dunya - IBS Trade Mission to India. Trade and development in three traditionally Islamic cities in India. Delhi, Lucknow and Hyderabad rediscovered. With Sr India Expert Francis Laleman, the participants explore the opportunities for industrialists daring to participate in India's economic boom, in unexpected places. More info on the India Business Support Website (here).
November 9, 2010 - Dunya workshops at Univeristy College Congress. The Univeristy College Congress (Hogeschoolcongres) at Karel de Grote Hogeschool (Antwerpen) is devoted to the central theme of Multiple Student. Keynote Speaker is Jessy Siongers (Vakgroep Sociologie), on her broad research with regard to the behavioural aspects of the student population between 18 and 30 year-olds. At the congress, Dunya facilitates two workshops on cultural diversity. The funds raised from these workshop go directly to Anand vzw, a charitable organisation funding the operations of Jeevan Deep (Basic informal education and community development for the Dalit and Scheduled Castes communities in Bodhgaya, Bihar, India). For info on the congress and enrollment procedures: here.
October 31 till November 11, 2010 - Dunya - IBS Trade Mission to India. Two sides of the story are represented: In Delhi, we visit the state-of-the-art business hub and meet professionals, outsourcing and sourcing specialists, whereas in Bihar we witness the enormous gap between the developed and the underdeveloped, and we learn what the opportunities are for foreign investors and industrialists to take up responsibility in helping to enhance the millons of Indians still living in extreme poverty. More info on the India Business Support Website (here).
September 30, 2010 - At the International Seminar 4brabant.eu (European, Brabant, Metropolitan, Brussels), Dunya Consultant Francis Laleman will be leading a workshop on Intercultural Management and Mobility. Keynote speakers at the event are Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council, Karel De Gucht, European Commissioner for Trade, and Tom de Bruijn, Ambassador of the Netherlands to the EU. For more info and registration, click here.
June 17, 2010 - Dunya Open Seminar -Sun Tzu – The Art of War - An Age-Old Chinese Model for Effective Corporate Leadership (DUN201004) You might think of waging a war (We certainly hope you are not!), or you might consider strategems to improve your business (We do hope you are!), or you might be on the verge of stress induced collapse unless you find means to make your leadership style more efficient (Be sure we do empathise!): whatever your initial condition might be, this workshop is for you, dear manager! From a Chinese classic from remote antiquity, Francis Laleman takes a series of pragmatic hints, allusuions and advices, and translates these into our modern business jargon. And see: all of a sudden we realise that we are not the first to be struggling with this or that problem or this or that piece of nuisance. Suntzu has been there and seen that!, and from his experience we are free to grab in the basket and eat the fruits. A mind opener workshop, not to be missed.
June 16, 2010 - Dunya Open Seminar - Niti Shastra – The Art of Leadership (DUN201003) With wit, and full of fun and pun, sr. indologist and India expert Francis Laleman uncovers the hidden treasures of the 300 BC masterpieces Arthashastra and Nitishastra (Manual on Material Gain, and Manual on Leadership) by the business philsospher Kautilya. Throughout our discovery, we identify means and methods to strengthen our management competences even today.
June 1-2, 2010 - LOUNGE 10 - Sectorbeurs - Sociaal Fonds voor de Audiovisuele Sector - At the Lounge 10 Conference, reserved for professionals working in the Flanders Audio & Video sector, Dunya presents a demo introduction to a full day workshop on the development of intercultural competences, with focus on how journalists and interviewers can make sure that their interviewees are portrayed fairly and convincingly, without being trapped in the limitations of the referential framework of the interviewer. The conference is held at the Sportpaleis in Antwerpen. Full info and registration forms are available through the website of Mediarte.
May 20, 2010 - Intercultureel Managen = Uw Toekomst Managen - Dunya participates in a networking event annex workshop organised by Antwerpse Startcentra, with De Wolkammerij nv, DKB (Startcentrum voor economisch sociaal ondernemen) cvba, RESOC, Jobkanaal VOKA, and Jobkanaal UNIZO. Flemish employers addressing the challenges of employing young and underschooled staff with a non-Belgian cultural background are invited to attend this key event, at which Dunya presents two hands-on workshops providing tools and techniques to help you out. The event takes place at the Auditorium at the Umicore site in Hoboken (Antwerpen, Belgium). For more information, see the invitation flyer (in Dutch).
May 7, 2010 - Dunya Open Seminar - Ni Hao – Working Effectively with a Chinese Workforce (DUN201002) Based on his extensive business experience in China and the Far East, Eddy Van Hemelrijck helps the participants discover the mindset of their Chinese business counterparts, colleagues, production teams, or clients. Next, Eddy shares his many tips and tricks on how to make your business experience in or with China successful.
May 5, 2010 - Dunya Open Seminar - Pardeshi – Working Effectively with an Indian Workforce (DUN201001) An inhouse classic in which India expert Francis Laleman guides the participants through the multifaced cultural and behavioural background of their Indian business counterparts or colleagues. A seminar loaded with practical tips and tricks on how to do business in India and how to deal with Indian colleagues on the workfloor. Depending on the participants, additional focus is given to the challenges of working with an Indian team through offshoring.
April 14 till 17, 2010 - Dunya participates in the 10th Annual Conference of SIETAR-USA, held in Spokane, WA, USA. The theme of the SIETAR conference is Living and Working in an Intercultural World. In concurrent sessions, Francis Laleman will be highlighting the Dunya approach with regard to Intercultural Communication and Management. Click through for more info on the SIETAR Conference. If you would like to attend, you can register here.
February 14 and March 2, 2010 - Dunya sponsors the Haiti Lavi concerts at the City Concert Hall (Concertgebouw), Brugge. For more information, click here.
February 4, 2010: Francis Laleman will be giving a demo of a Dunya team exercise on cultural diversity in your organisation at the seminar Diversity Works! , organised by Mediarte (Sociaal Fonds voor de Audiovisuele Sector, PC227) together with the Pacte Territorial pour Emploi en Region de Bruxelles Capitale, Territoriaal Pact voor de Werkgelegenheid Brussel. Attendance to this seminar is strictly limited to professionals pertaining to the sector. For information and registration, contact info@mediarte.be or click here.