Goethe-Institut im Exil: Syria: Quo Vadis? Talking event | Literary Perspectives on Memory, Transition and the Future
DO 23.01, 19H ACUD Studio
Free entrance
For many Syrians living in exile, the new year begins with a renewed sense of hope. After decades of tyranny, the fall of the Assad regime marks the beginning of a new chapter. Cultural practitioners and intellectuals who fled to Europe nearly a decade ago are now watching their homeland with cautious optimism. As political prisoners are released and the immense injustices of the past are reckoned with, urgent questions emerge: How does one process the resurgence of long-suppressed memories of a country nearly abandoned? How are family and friends? What comes next? How can one contribute to the rebuilding process? And is return even an option?
In 2016, the Goethe-Institut hosted “Goethe-Institut Damascus in Exile”, a festival that highlighted the work of Syrian cultural practitioners living in exile. Many of the artists and cultural figures invited back then have since established themselves in new lives. Memories that were fresh at the time have often faded, only to be stirred again by recent developments. Nine years later, Syrians are experiencing not just a sense of upheaval and euphoria but also uncertainty about whether it will be possible to build a stable future.
At the same time, shocking remarks from some German politicians calling for the immediate return of Syrian refugees underscore how extreme positions are increasingly stepping out of the realm of the unspeakable.
In light of these developments, the Goethe-Institut in Exile, in collaboration with long-time and new partners from the Syrian diaspora, invites you to the start of a series of events focussing on Syria. Building on the conversations initiated in 2016 and the years that followed, this event will delve into the challenges, opportunities, and visions for the future that Syrian artists and writers are grappling with in this pivotal moment.
19:00 – 20:15 | “The Syria I Lost, The Syria That Finds Us”: A Report from Damascus
Ahmad Katlesh in conversation with Sandra Hetzl
Ahmad Katlesh is a Syrian writer, journalist, and podcaster whose journey has been closely followed by the Goethe-Institut in Exile. Between December 2024 and January 2025, after twelve years away, he returned to Syria as one of the first intellectuals of his generation to make such a journey. Katlesh will present an exclusive account of his visit to his hometown of Damascus, capturing the moods, perspectives, and hopes of a country in transition.
20.30 – 22:00 | “Echoes of Return – Old Homeland, Foreign Land”
Reading and Conversation
With Dima Wannous, Rosa Yassin Hassan, Inana Othman
Moderation: Yasmin Merei | Musical Accompaniment: Ali Hasan
In a reading and discussion, renowned Syrian exile authors Dima Wannous (*1982 in Damascus, living in London), Rosa Yassin Hassan (*1974 in Damascus, living in Hamburg), and Inana Othman (*in Hasaka, living in Berlin) explore themes such as the loss of home, identity, deeply rooted fear, and newfound hope for freedom. After years of stagnation in Syria, events are now rapidly unfolding. The unexpected change in the old homeland disrupts the sense of time and raises many questions. What role do personal and collective memories play in the diaspora? How do they shape writing, and what future narratives can be imagined? The conversation will be moderated by journalist and literary scholar Yasmin Merei.