Art for freedom: Afghan voices fight in Berlin

Art for freedom: Afghan voices fight in Berlin

Today the event “Culture in Democracy Movements” took place in the Martin Niemöller House, which was organized by Mosaik von KiezConnect e.V. in collaboration with the Diakonisches Werk Steglitz and Teltow-Zehlendorf and the Martin Niemöller House. With 30 spectators in attendance, it was the first joint event between these organizations. The Martin Niemöller House, which serves as a place of remembrance of the church struggle of the 1930s and the resistance against the Nazi dictatorship, provided an important setting for the topic.

The event focused on the role of art and culture in democratic and human rights movements, particularly in autocratic societies. Exiled artists reported impressively about their creative work, often risking their lives in their home countries. Particular emphasis was placed on the importance of social media and internet platforms for spreading their messages, which has a major impact on the democracy movement.

Insight into the topic

The discussions among the artists from Iran, Afghanistan and Sudan made clear the importance of songs and literary works in the protests. The event also highlighted the challenges women in Afghanistan face in writing poetry and books. The Afghan writer Suwaita Rahmani shared her experiences and recited her poem “Woman in the Storm,” which focuses on the strength of women in her homeland. She expressed that the event was memorable, warm and open.

An audience member asked, “What can we do for you?” The answer was clear: support in spreading their art in Germany is urgently needed. This highlights the need for a collective effort to promote and make visible the voices of oppressed artists.

Sales and support for artists

Another aspect of the event was the sale of T-shirts by Sudanese rapper Zeyo, the proceeds of which will be used to finance his political rap productions. Rahmani also received support for a publishing application for exiled artists, while requests for readings and concerts by artists such as Rahmani and the Iranian singer Shakibi were received by the organizer Franziska Menzel. This shows the connection between art, engagement and the need to create platforms for marginalized voices.

In addition, in the context of the exhibition “Once We Were Trees, Now We Are Birds” in the ifa Gallery Berlin, attention is drawn to the work of around 50 artists who have found protection in Germany through the Martin Roth Initiative. This initiative shows the challenges and resilience of artists from different countries of origin and addresses universal values ​​such as pain, loss and hope. These works make it clear that art plays an important role in the expression and preservation of identity - an aspect that is also reflected in the descriptions of the exiled artists at today's event.

Overall, the event at the Martin-Niemöller-Haus is an urgent appeal for support for democracy movements and a call for society to hear the voices of those who are often in the shadows.

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