Goethe-Institut im Exil

Startseite
Deutschland
Berlin
Goethe-Institut im Exil

Begegnungsort, Schutzraum und Bühne für Kulturschaffende, die in ihrer Heimat nicht arbeiten können. Aufgrund der Sicherheitslage ist es seit 2012 geschlossen.

Das Goethe-Institut Damaskus, eröffnet im Jahr 1955, war eines der ersten Institute weltweit. Viele Menschen mussten das Land verlassen und befinden sich nun in Europa im Exil. Um ein Zeichen zu setzen, wird das Goethe-Institut in Berlin einen symbolischen Ort der kulturellen Begegnung schaffen: das „Goethe-Institut Damaskus | Im Exil“. Vom 20. Oktober bis 5. November 2016 werden hier Diskussionen

, Workshops, Filmreihen, Installationen, Ausstellungen, Konzerte und Performances stattfinden.

17/04/2025

SYRIA: QUO VADIS? FLIGHT, MIGRATION AND THE POLITICS OF BELONGING

Join us on April 29 at ACUD Studio () for the third evening in our event series exploring current developments in Syria.
How do you build a future when you’re caught between two uncertain realities — a homeland you can’t safely return to, and a host country where the climate feels increasingly unwelcoming?

🗓️ 29.04.2025
🕑 7 pm
📍 ACUD Studio 
Free entry | Language: English

We’ll screen “Becoming Iphigenia” — a powerful film about theatre, exile, and resistance — followed by an open discussion on migration, identity, and belonging.

The panel features playwright Mohammad Al Attar, multidisciplinary artist Zena El Abdalla (), and migration researcher Ruby Haji Naif. The discussion will be moderated by Carmen Herold, Project Head of Goethe-Institut in Exile.

Let’s talk about the tensions, the creativity born in displacement, and what it means to imagine a home that may never exist.

For full event details, visit our calendar. We look forward to welcoming you! 🙌

16/04/2025

This Monday, Sudanese poet and writer Najlaa Eltom invited us to an evening of poetry, dialogue and reconnection – „WRITING THROUGH THE CRACKS“ at ACUD Studio.

In an insightful lecture she explored the intricate entanglements between Sudan’s histories of violence and statehood, between rupture and resilience, between colonial and neocolonial architectures of power. She spoke on survival through tribal belonging, of radical moments of kindness and kinship, and of poetry’s transformative power.

These days mark two years since the outbreak of war in Sudan – a conflict described by the United Nations as the world’s largest displacement crisis. Yet, it remains largely overlooked by the international media. Monday’s conversation, moderated by Ibrahim Izzeldeen, offered a deeper critical engagement with the shifting realities of Sudan and Sudanese people.

Ending the evening on a special note, Najlaa Eltom read a selection of her poems, bringing them to life with her voice and personal remarks.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this multi-layered experience, curated by Marwa Zein and hosted in cooperation with Sudanclub e. V. If you want to learn more about Najlaa Eltom, listen to her interview with Deutschlandfunk Kultur via the link in our bio. 💚

15/04/2025

✨ RECONNECTING THROUGH THE CRACKS - A Film Series curated by Marwa Zein ✨ 

Which stories are heard? Whose voices resonate with us – and which stories remain unspoken?
In a time marked by pain, loss, and alienation, “RECONNECTING THROUGH THE CRACKS” invites us to come together and reconnect. This series acknowledges disconnection while empowering us through stories of resilience and breakthroughs. Each screening will feature a feature film and a short film, shining a light on the often unseen realities of Egypt, Iran, Congo, Palestine, and Sudan.

🗓️ 23.04.2025
🕑 19:00 - 21:00 h
📍ACUDkino 

In our second screening of the series, we are showing two remarkable films from Sudan and Palestine:

🎬 Short film: „Nothing Happens After That” (2024) by Ibrahim Omar
A story about the pain and loss of a South Sudanese refugee family trying to bury a dead child in Egypt.

🎥 Anthology: „From Ground Zero” (2024) produced by Rashid Masharawi 
In an intimate and powerful portrait, this compilation of 22 short films made in Gaza gives a voice to Palestinian filmmakers sharing their untold stories of the current war on film.

We look forward to seeing you there! 💚

11/04/2025

✨ ART & AFTERNOON TEA ✨🫖
Dear Afghan artists & cultural practitioners in Berlin — we’re excited to invite you to our next Community Meet-up on Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025 🐣💫

📍 ACUD Studio
📅 Easter Sunday, April 20
🕑 2–5 PM

Join us for a cozy afternoon of tea, conversations, and creative exchange at ACUD Studio. Let’s share ideas, connect, and support each other in an open, welcoming space.

This time, we’ll also take a brief look at the history of the Faculty of Fine Arts at Kabul University with Professor Alem Farhad, former head of this key institution in Afghanistan’s art scene.

No registration needed – just come by!
We can’t wait to see you there! 🌿

02/04/2025

WRITING THROUGH THE CRACKS: A READING WITH NAJLAA ELTOM curated by Marwa Hoda Zein

🗓️ 14.04.2025
🕑 19:00
📍 ACUD Studio
🗣️ English

Join us on April 14th for an evening of poetry with Sudanese poet, writer, and translator Najlaa Eltom at ACUD Studio. Moderated by German-Sudanese filmmaker Ibrahim Izzeldeen, this event is an invitation to explore the shifting realities of Sudan and the struggles and resilience of the Sudanese people.

Through her poetry and conversation, Najlaa invites us to critically examine the conflict’s impact on Sudan and its connections to global power dynamics. This evening will be an opportunity to question, challenge, and engage with the themes of war, resilience, and cultural survival.

🔹 Najlaa Eltom is a poet and translator, living in Sweden since 2012. Her work explores themes of exile, memory, and the intersections of language and power. She has published three poetry collections: „Melodies of Speed“, released in 2021, „The Immortal Felony with Earrings“, published in 2019, and „The Doctrine of Thinness“, which came out in 2007. Her essays and poetry have been translated into several languages, a process that, rather than fixing meaning, adds new layers of interpretation and distance.

We hope to see you there!

👇👇👇
Learn more about the event via the link in our bio!

27/03/2025

✨ Our April event programme is now online! This spring is all about reflection and resistance. 🌱🌍

On April 14th, we are thrilled to welcome Sudanese writer Najlaa Eltom to Kunsthaus ACUD. It’s been two years since the war in Sudan began—an ongoing conflict that has received little global attention. Najlaa will explore the intersections of war, power, and language through poetry and conversation. Don’t miss this important event! 💚

In the second edition of our film series, „Reconnecting Through the Cracks“, on April 23rd, we present “From Ground Zero” (2024), a compilation of 22 short films by directors from Gaza, produced by Rashid Masharawi, and “Nothing Happens After That” (2024) by Ibrahim Omar (). Join us for a powerful evening at ACUD Cinema from 7 to 9 PM, curated by Sudanese filmmaker Marwa Zein ().

Last but not least, we’re excited to continue our event series SYRIA: QUO VADIS? on April 29th. On this evening, we’ll dive into the complex dynamics between Syria’s evolving political landscape and the experiences of Syrian artists in exile. Join us for a screening of “Becoming Iphigenia” (directed by Reem Al-Ghazzi) followed by a panel discussion with Mohammad Al Attar, Zena El Abdalla (), and Ruby Haji Naif.

Check our event calendar for the full programme. We can’t wait to see you there! 🙌

18/03/2025

📢 OPEN CALL: “HAKKI” — STORIES ALONG THE WAY 🎥🎬

The Hakki-Workshop, organized by Goethe-Institut in Exile in collaboration with Sudan Club e.V. Berlin (.club.berlin), is inviting members of the Sudanese diaspora to share their personal stories of displacement, identity, and resilience through film. 🌍✨

Hakki, rooted in the tradition of storytelling and self-reflection, offers a unique platform for participants to share their journeys, from the challenges to the transformations they’ve faced along the way. Through this creative workshop, participants will learn the art of storytelling, visual scene development, and collaboratively craft films that explore themes of belonging, cultural hybridity, and emotional resonance.

🗓️ When? April 25–27, 2025
🕑 25. April from 04:00 PM to 10:00 PM (including breaks)
26. April from 04:00 PM to 10:00 PM (including breaks)
27. April recording: tba
📍 Where? Sudan Club e. V., Trautenaustraße 5, 10717 Berlin
❗️ Application deadline: 06 April 2025, 11 PM
🗣️ Arabic & English

Select stories will be presented in a public screening at ACUD Macht Neu in early autumn 2025, amplifying the voices of the Sudanese diaspora both within and beyond the community.  🎉             
👇👇👇
For more information about the Hakki-Workshop and how to participate, please visit our website via the link in bio.

17/03/2025

✨ RECONNECTING THROUGH THE CRACKS - A Film Series curated by Marwa Zein ✨ 

Which stories are heard? Whose voices resonate with us – and which stories remain unspoken?
In a time marked by pain, loss, and alienation, “RECONNECTING THROUGH THE CRACKS” invites us to come together and reconnect. This series acknowledges disconnection while empowering us through stories of resilience and breakthroughs. Each screening will feature a feature film and a short film, shining a light on the often unseen realities of Egypt, Iran, Congo, Palestine, and Sudan.

🗓️ 26.03.2025
🕑 19:00- 21.00 h
📍ACUDkino 

For the opening, we present two compelling Sudanese films:

🎬 Short film: „Is It War?“ (2024) by Timeaa Mohamed Ahmed ()
A surreal journey exploring the fragmented identity and mental escape of a young man navigating the horrors of war and displacement in Sudan.

🎥 Documentary: „Madaniya“ (2024) by Mohamed Subahi ()
This documentary follows three young Sudanese individuals participating in Sudan’s December Revolution, each contributing to the resistance with their unique tools, all working towards one common goal – “Madaniya”, a civilian government.

Join us for a hybrid Q&A with Madaniya’s director Mohamed Subahi (Arabic with English translation) after the screening.

We look forward to seeing you there! 💚

12/03/2025

ART & AFTERNOON TEA: COMMUNITY MEET-UP FOR ARTISTS AND CULTURAL PRACTITIONERS FROM AFGHANISTAN

Dear Berlin-based afghan artists! 👋 After a longer break, it’s finally time for our next Community Meet-up – Art & Afternoon Tea! 🫖☕️

📅 Date: 23.03.2025
🕖 Time: 2 – 5 PM
📍 Location: ACUD Studio

Join us for a Sunday afternoon to exchange ideas about your artistic projects, build new networks, and connect with others in an informal, creative setting. The goal is to create an open space for exiled Afghan artists to engage in dialogue and support each other, all while enjoying a warm cup of tea.

👇👇👇
No registration required—just come by! We look forward to seeing you!

06/03/2025

We’re happy to share a throwback to our “Resonant Listening: Syria” event at ACUD Club! 🎶✨

Swipe through to relive the special moments from February 25, as we explored the deep connection between sound and memory. Which sounds connect communities? What melodies carry their feelings and histories?

Syrian musicians Ali Hasan, Julnar Georges, Mohamad Fityan, and Wassim Mukdad led a captivating Listening Session, sharing sounds and stories that hold special, even iconic, significance within their community. Their music invited us to reflect on the power of certain pieces to evoke emotion and preserve memories across generations.

The evening continued with a mesmerizing concert by Arabic Female Voices, featuring Ali Hasan (percussion), Wassim Mukdad (oud), and the talented singer Amal Shehab. Together, they performed timeless songs by legendary Arab female artists like Fairuz, Oum Kalthoum, and Asmahan.

Want to revisit the music from the evening? We’ve put together a Spotify playlist with the tracks we listened to during the event. Check the link in bio to listen! 🎧

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this unforgettable evening, curated by Ali Hasan. Stay tuned for more in our Resonant Listening series as we continue to explore the musical heritage of communities and the sounds that bind them. 💚

04/03/2025

As March begins with a hint of spring, we’re excited to share our fresh program:

From March 5th to 8th, experience experimental, instrumental, and electronic contemporary music from Iran at the Seem Festival Munich , organized by .

After successful Berlin performances, Ayat Najafi’s () play “Women of the Revolution Street” about female resistance in Iran will be staged at Theater an der Ruhr () on March 8th and 9th.

This powerful exploration of resistance continues with the lecture-performance “Date of Performance”, from March 6th to 8th at Ballhaus Ost (). The performance traces the history of plays staged by imprisoned artists in Iranian prisons between 1954 and 2024, creating a poignant bridge between personal expression and political struggle.

On March 20, you have the opportunity to join a tour of the newly opened exhibition “Once We Were Trees, Now We Are Birds” at ifa-Gallery Berlin (), led by the curatorial team .salah.abdulaziz, , and . All participants are scholarship holders of the Martin Roth Initiative, sharing deeply personal yet collectively resonant stories in the exhibition through posters and written testimonies.

We’re also thrilled to launch our film series “Reconnecting Through the Cracks”, curated by Sudanese filmmaker Marwa Zein (), on March 26th. The series highlights stories of pain, resilience, and breakthroughs. Our opening night features two recent Sudanese films: „Is It War“ (2024) by Timeaa Mohamed Ahmed and „Madaniya“(2024) by Mohamed Subahi. They explore fragmented identity and resistance during Sudan’s December Revolution. The film screenings will be followed by a Q&A with director Mohamed Subahi (). 💚

Check our event calendar for the full program. We look forward to seeing you there! 🙌

10/02/2025

SYRIA: QUO VADIS? FREEDOM, HOME, PRISON, EXILE & THE WORLD

Join us on February 18 at ACUD Studio () for the second literary evening in our new event series, which focuses on the current developments in Syria.

🗓️ 18.02.2025
🕑 7 pm
📍 ACUD Studio

🗣️ Arabic with German Translation
by Günther Orth & Youssef Hijazi

How can the internal turmoil after the fall of the Assad regime—marked by waves of hope, fear, tension, and memories—be processed both personally and collectively?

We are excited to present an engaging programme featuring writer Yassin al-Haj Saleh, one of the most prominent voices of the Syrian opposition, feminist researcher Nisren Habib, and writer and gynecologist Najat Abed Alsamad. Together, they will discuss the experience of exile in the context of lost and perhaps regained homelands, exploring themes of freedom, reconciliation, and new beginnings.

The readings and discussions will be accompanied by musical storyteller, composer, producer, and trumpet player Milad Khawam. We look forward to hosting you! 💚

7:00 – 07:30 pm | „Syria: A Cartography of Political Power Relations“
Short Input – Yasmin Merei

07:30 – 09:00 pm | „Eternity is Over, the Presence Begins Now“
Reading and Discussion

With Najat Abed Alsamad, Yassin al-Haj Saleh & Nisren Habib
Moderation: Yasmine Merei

Music: Milad Khawam

For full event details, visit our calendar. We look forward to welcoming you! 🙌

Yassin Al Haj Saleh

06/02/2025

February has arrived – and after the amazing response to our opening event „SYRIA: QUO VADIS?“ on January 23rd, we look forward to continue this series.

On February 18th, we welcome Yassin al-Haj Saleh, one of the leading literary voices of the Syrian opposition, along with gender researcher Nisren Habib and writer Najat Abed Alsamad to ACUD. They will discuss the topic „SYRIA: QUO VADIS? FREEDOM, HOME, PRISON, EXILE AND THE WORLD“ in conversation with Yasmin Merei, reflecting on exile, home, freedom, and new beginnings.

Just one week later, on February 25th, join us for a Listening Session with Syrian musicians, curated by percussionist Ali Hasan!

Another highlight: on February 27th, the theater play „Women of Revolution Avenue,“ by Ayat Najafi about women’s resistance against the Islamic Republic of Iran, will have its premiere at Ballhaus Ost – followed by a performance at Theater an der Ruhr on March 7th. 💚

The full program and further details can be found in our event calendar. We look forward to seeing you there! 🙌

Yasmine Merei Ali Hasan Yassin Al Haj Saleh

28/01/2025

We are pleased to share more impressions from our event SYRIA: QUO VADIS? LITERARY PERSPECTIVES ON MEMORY, TRANSITION, AND THE FUTURE, which took place on Thursday, January 23, 2025, at Kunsthaus ACUD.

Our heartfelt thanks go to the remarkable guests Ali Hasan, Rosa Yassin Hassan, Sandra Hetzl, Ahmad Katlesh, Yasmin Merei, Inana Othman and Dima Wannous for sharing their insights, emotions, perspectives, and visions for Syria’s future amidst the ongoing developments in the region.

‘Syria – Quo Vadis?’ was a powerful and moving event, with a strong turnout, enriched by the music of .music. We are also deeply grateful to our audience for their openness and enthusiasm during the discussions.

Save the date: February 18, 2025, for the next ‘Syria: Quo Vadis?’ event. We look forward to seeing you there! 💚

📸
merei

16/01/2025

SYRIA: QUO VADIS? LITERARY PERSPECTIVES ON MEMORY, TRANSITION AND THE FUTURE

Join us on January 23 at ACUD Studio () for an evocative Arabic-English literary evening, delving into the challenges, perspectives and visions for the future in view of the current developments in Syria.

🗓️ 23.01.2025
🕑 7 pm
📍 ACUD Studio 

🗣️ Arabic with English Translation

We are thrilled to present a compelling programme with renowned Syrian authors Dima Wannous, Ahmad Katlesh, Rosa Yassin Hassan, and Inana Othman, accompanied by the percussionist Ali Hasan. Not to be missed! 💚

7:00 – 08:15 pm | “The Syria I Lost, The Syria That Finds Us”: A Report from Damascus
Ahmad Katlesh in conversation with Sandra Hetzl

08:30 – 10:00 pm | “Echoes of Return – Old Homeland, Foreign Land”
Reading and Conversation
With Dima Wannous, Rosa Yassin Hassan, Inana Othman
Moderation: Yasmin Merei

For full event details, visit our calendar. We look forward to welcoming you! 🙌

     .music

13/01/2025

Welcome, 2025 - to New Horizons!

For many Syrians living in exile, the new year has begun with renewed sense of hope. After decades of tyranny, the fall of the Assad marks the outset of a new chapter. Instead of hopelessness and stagnation, many Syrians now experience a sense of upheaval and euphoria, but also uncertainty about whether it will be possible to build a stable future.

To explore recent developments and create space for reflection and dialogue, the Goethe-Institut in Exile, in collaboration with longstanding and new partners from the Syrian diaspora, invites you to the launch of a series of events centered on Syria, on January 23, 2025:

SYRIA: QUO VADIS? LITERARY PERSPECTIVES ON MEMORY, TRANSITION AND THE FUTURE
Join us on January 23 at ACUD Studio () for an evocative Arabic-English literary evening, delving into the challenges, perspectives and visions for the future in view of the current developments in Syria.
We are thrilled to present a compelling programme with renowned Syrian authors Dima Wannous, Ahmad Katlesh, Rosa Yassin Hassan, and Inana Othman, accompanied by the percussionist Ali Hasan. Not to be missed! 💚

For full event details, visit our calendar. We look forward to welcoming you! 🙌

.music

26/11/2024

LITERATURES IN EXILE: Yirgalem Fisseha Mebrahtu & Aaiún Nin

🗓️ 04.12.2024
🕑 19:30
📍 Haus für Poesie
🗣️ English Translation

Join us on December 4th for a transformative evening of poetry as part of our Literatures in Exile- series. We are honored to welcome Eritrean poet, writer, and human rights activist Yirgalem Fisseha Mebrahtu () and Angolan poet and spoken word artist Aaiún Nin (.nin) to the Haus für Poesie (). The event will be moderated by Ana Sobral, literary scholar and director of „Weiter Schreiben Schweiz“.

🔹 Yirgalem Fisseha Mebrahtu (born 1981 in Eritrea) has been living in exile in Munich since 2018. Her poetry collection Ich bin am Leben („I Am Alive“), published in 2023 by , was written during her six years of unlawful imprisonment in the Mai Serwa military prison. Translated from Tigrinya by Kokob Semere, Miras Walid, and Mekonnen Mesghena, and adapted by Hans Thill, her work confronts profound themes of justice, human rights, and the enduring struggle for peace.

🔹 Aaiún Nin (born 1991 in Angola) published their poetry debut in 2022 in English, followed by a German translation, Denn Schweigen ist ein Gefängnis (), in 2023, translated by Olaide E. Frank. Nin’s poetry addresses powerful themes of dehumanization, shame, and physical violence. Nin’s work delves into the complexities of exile, the reckoning with familial love, and explores the strength of q***r love and desire through a body that yearns to love and be loved.

In this special event, the two poets will share their texts and discuss with Ana Sobral how they transform resistance, grief, and loss into poetry.
See you there!

The LITERATURES IN EXILE series is generously supported by the Berlin Senate Department for Culture and Social Cohesion.

👇👇👇
Learn more about the event via the link in our bio!

Adresse

Veteranenstraße 21
Berlin
10119

Webseite

http://goethe.de/exil

Benachrichtigungen

Lassen Sie sich von uns eine E-Mail senden und seien Sie der erste der Neuigkeiten und Aktionen von Goethe-Institut im Exil erfährt. Ihre E-Mail-Adresse wird nicht für andere Zwecke verwendet und Sie können sich jederzeit abmelden.