The closing event for the 2025–2026 annual theme “Resolving Conflicts!” brings together perspectives from the past two years and looks toward the future: An interdisciplinary panel will discuss options for taking action and visions for the future against the backdrop of prevailing social upheavals, a crisis-ridden democracy, and major geopolitical challenges. Questions to be addressed include: How can we free social discourse from the trap of emotional politics? How can we strengthen democracy and social unity in a world marked by crises? And what does it take to reimagine progress?

Participants in the discussion include Ricarda Lang (Member of the German Bundestag), Steffen Mau (Academy Member, Humboldt University of Berlin), Julia Jäkel (manager and publisher), and Academy President Christoph Markschies. Moderator: Shelly Kupferberg.

Please sign up using the following link: www.bbaw.de/veranstaltungen/veranstaltung-konflikte-loesen-alles-auf-anfang

Olga Grjasnowa will read from her latest novel, “Juli, August, September,” exploring central conflicts in the everyday lives of modern Jewish families in Germany and Europe. Caught between individuality and belonging, tradition, memory, and postmemory, the novel’s protagonist seeks answers to personal and societal questions, which Olga Grjasnowa will discuss in a subsequent conversation with literary editor Miriam Zeh. The discussion will also explore broader aspects of the intersection of literature and conflict, including the role literature can play in addressing conflicts within a heated culture of debate, as well as the conflicts inherent in the act of writing itself.

Please sign up using the following link: https://www.bbaw.de/veranstaltungen/veranstaltung-konflikte-lesen-lesung-und-gespraech-mit-olga-grjasnowa