Berlin Conference 2025
21 years after its first edition in 2004, the Berlin Conference continues to show how essential culture is for Europe’s freedom, cohesion, and democratic strength.
In times of growing uncertainty, the Berlin Conference offers a much-needed space for dialogue between the arts, civil society, and politics – bridging personal commitment with collective responsibility.
Organised by Stiftung Zukunft Berlin in cooperation with the civil society initiative A Soul for Europe, the European Festivals Association, and the Evangelische Akademie zu Berlin, the Berlin Conference brings together voices, perspectives, and networks from across Europe to help shape a common democratic future.
The Berlin Conference 2025 will take place on 6 and 7 November in the Allianz Forum, located next to the Brandenburg Gate – a symbolic setting for European dialogue.
This year’s conference will focus on the tensions and ambivalences of democracy and culture, as well as the question of how cultural participation can contribute to strengthening democratic resilience. Europe faces the urgent task of responding to the challenges of a polarized and divided world. The different responsibilities of cities and regions, national governments, and EU institutions are accompanied by a shared civic responsibility. Together, we want to explore how we can harness the power of art and culture to shape a Soul for Europe and open up new paths to democracy. In keynotes, debates, and workshops, we invite artists, policymakers, and civil society actors to reflect, exchange ideas, and shape the future together – with the aim of involving policymakers, discussing the results, and finding ways to translate them into concrete political action.
Programme
6 November, Thursday
European House (Erlebnis Europa), Unter den Linden 78, 10117 Berlin
12:30 pm | Presentation of the new EFFE Seal publication: "Festivals in Context: The Role of the Arts in Local Cultural Policy"
We are proud to announce the presentation of the EFFE Seal publication Festivals in Context: The Role of the Arts in Local Cultural Policy, from 12:30 till 15:00 at the European House, next to the Brandenburg Gate.
If we believe that art truly matters for democracy, then the local dimension of culture is where it all begins - sparking citizen engagement and bringing people together. Festivals, throughout history, have been those unique spaces where communities gather, exchange ideas, and imagine better futures.
But how are festivals perceived by local cultural policies today? What do municipalities expect from them? What roles are festivals being asked to play - and how do they respond to those expectations? Are they ready to embrace the challenge of shaping new paths for democracy?
This session draws inspiration from a new study published by the European Festivals Association as part of the EFFE Seal for Festival Cities and Regions initiative, authored and presented by the independent researcher and co-founder of Culture Policy Room Elena Polivtseva. It will open up a conversation between municipalities and festivals, exploring how these actors can work together to strengthen democracy through culture.
>>> Download the EFFE Seal publication here <<<
Französische Friedrichstadtkirche, Gendarmenmarkt 5, 10117 Berlin
3.00 pm | Doors Open
4:00 pm | Opening with music: MitMachMusik Brandenburg
4:15 pm | Keynote Speech: Olesya Khromeychuk (Historian and writer, director of the Ukrainian Institute London).
Lessons from Ukraine’s Emergency Bag - On How Autonomy, Resilience, and Identity Shape our Readiness for War, and for Peace
4:45 pm | Panel Conversation
- Jan Tombiński (Ambassador, Polish Embassy Berlin)
- Emmanuel Suquet (Deputy Head of Mission in the Embassy of France in Berlin)
- Paweł Potoroczyn (Director, European Capital of Culture Lublin 2029)
- Additional speakers to be announced
Moderation: Susann Worschech (Professor of Political Sociology and Transformation Research, European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder)
6:00 pm | What to expect on day 2 of the conference?
6:30 pm | Reception
7 November, Friday
Allianz Forum, Pariser Platz 6, 10117 Berlin
9.00 am | Doors open
10:00 am | Long Table Conversation: Art as a Bridge - How Culture Makes Democracy Tangible
Opening impulse by Sir Jonathan Mills (Composer and festival director); the conversation continues with
- Valeriya Korablyova (Leader of the Research Centre “Ukraine in a Changing Europe” , Charles University, Prague)
- Mikhail Minakov (DAAD Visiting Professor, European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder))
- Robert Piaskowski (Director of the National Centre for Culture in Poland)
- Emine Sadk (Writer and journalist)
All audience members are invited to take a seat at the table and speak.
Moderation: Marion Döring (Member of the Board, Wim Wenders Foundation)
12:30 pm | Lunch break
1:15 pm | Workshops
- Workshop 1 by Marko Martin (Writer and novelist) The Task of Freedom - What East-Central European Voices can Teach us Today
- Workshop 2 (to be announced) Democracy and Cultural Participation
- Workshop 3 by Giorgi Mjavanadze & Nodar Rukhadze (Shame Movement, Georgia) When Culture Divides and Unites
- Workshop 4 by Friederike Landau-Donnelly (Visiting professor for Social and Cultural Geography at Humboldt University of Berlin) Facing Conflicts: How do the Arts and Culture as Part of Civil Society Respond?
- Workshop 5 - Dialogue in Motion (a collaboration between the European Forum Alpbach, Charlemagne Prize Foundation and Stiftung Zukunft Berlin), by Peter Schoof (ambassador retired) Culture as Strategy for Europe‘s Resilience, Influence and Defence?
4:15 pm | Plenum: Presentation of the workshop result by workshop leaders, and a personal reflection by Sir Jonathan Mills (Composer and festival director)
4:40 pm | From ideas to action: discussion of the results
with representatives from civil society initiatives
- A Soul for Europe
- European Festivals Association - Haris Pašović
- European Forum Alpbach - Winfried Kneip
- Charlemagne Prize - Christine Dietrich
- Service Civique Européen - Benjamin Sibille
with policy-makers
- Kriistina Avic (Head of Culture, Tartu City Government, Estonia)
- Gergely Őrsi (Mayor, II. District of Budapest, Hungary)
- from the city of Bergen (Norway)
- from town of Colle di Val d’Elsa (Italy)
6:00 pm | Summary: Polish Embassy, Unter den Linden 70-72, 10117 Berlin
7:30 pm | Reception
What to expect?
- Intensive exchange, critical perspectives, and a program that both allows and requires diverse participation: join the conversation in a variety of collaborative formats for joint creation, participation, and exchange.
- Civil society networking with international perspectives: Connect with voices, initiatives, and networks from across Europe.
- From ideas to action: Reflect on diverse understandings of democracy and develop creative strategies that lead to real impact.
- A symbolic and inspiring setting: Join us at the Französische Friedrichstadtkirche on Gendarmenmarkt, at the Allianz Forum next to Brandenburg Gate and for the evening reception at the Polish Embassy.
Previous Berlin Conferences
20 years Berlin Conference : EUROPE - A Cultural Project
The Stiftung Zukunft Berlin, A Soul for Europe, EFA and the Evangelical Academy of Berlin invite you to the Berlin Conference on 7 and 8 November 2024 at the Allianz Forum, next to the Brandenburg Gate.
The Berlin Conference 2023: “Resilient Futures: Building a Sustainable Europe”
The annual Berlin Conference focused on the role and responsibilities of Europe and its citizens in contemporary challenges and in building a sustainable and resilient future.
