It was an honour to speak at the University of Tunis in which I reflected on my experiences on how the subject of Palestine has unfolded over the years in Germany. This was a very unusual event as it was remarkable that six German institutions were behind this initiative which is a strong signal that institutional pushback within Germany is beginning to take shape. This has been confirmed by my colleagues.
On the other hand, the choice of Tunis was quite telling. The event was basically held on the “periphery” as a way to limit visibility within Germany. In some respects, it was an experiment that enables cautious engagement while not fully challenging established boundaries within Germany proper or overplaying their institutional hands. The fact remains that the German status quo of silencing the pro-Palestinian narrative is unsustainable and therefore cracks are starting to appear.
Event abstract: “This multilingual Rencontre Ibn Khaldun event will feature three contributions that offer distinct perspectives on experiences of solidarity with Palestine in Germany and Tunisia. In doing so, the roundtable aims to create space for open and pluralistic exchange. It will bring together speakers from diverse backgrounds to share their insights and offers ample room for dialogue among participants and the audience. The discussion will be conducted in English and French, with the possibility for interventions in Arabic.”
