The group Initiative Schwarze Menschen in Deutschland (ISD, Initiative of Black People in Germany) was founded forty years ago. What began in 1985 as a self-organized movement has today become a significant voice in German society. To celebrate its anniversary, the ISD is hosting a day of encounters, reminiscences, and gazes forward in the Haus der Kulturen der Welt.

The event will feature both pioneers of the initiative and protagonists of the younger generation. They will remember origins, discuss today’s situation, and develop joint perspectives for the future: What is necessary for Black voices in Germany to be perceived more clearly? What strategies are needed to make Black lived realities more visible, to unite struggles in local and global contexts, and to open new paths of solidarity?

The program ranges from music to performances, from panel discussions to histories, from present and future Black encounters to artistic contributions. The event is a celebration of the ISD’s unusual anniversary and an invitation to think together, network, and party.

Programme Overview

12:30–13:00
Angie Stardust Foyer
Performance by Raphael Hillebrand

13:10–14:30
Angie Stardust Foyer
Welcome, Audience Survey, and Chaos-Networking
With: Hilistina Banze, Jonas Berhe, Tahir Della, Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung, Johara Sarhan

14:40–15:25
Safi Faye Hall, with live stream in the Angie Stardust Foyer
Panel discussion: Historising without Historicising. The Past and Present Relevance of the ISD
With: Austen Peter Brandt and Sharon Dodua Otoo, moderated by Jonas Berhe

15:35–16:05
Safi Faye Hall, with live stream in the Angie Stardust Foyer
Reading by Sharon Dodua Otoo with musical accompaniment

16:35–17:35
Safi Faye Hall, with live stream in the Angie Stardust Foyer
Keynote by Marion Kraft, panel discussion: What Lies Ahead – Where Will We Stand in 40 Years?
With: Hilistina Banze and Marion Kraft, moderated by Johara Sarhan

17:45–18:00
Safi Faye Hall, with live stream in the Angie Stardust Foyer
Performance by Dodzi Dougban 

19:00–21:00
Safi Faye Hall
Heimatization: Celebrating Contemporary Black Movements in Germany: 40 Years of Resistance, Empowerment, and Shaping the Future
With: Akinola Famson, Hadija Haruna-Oelker, and Makda Isak, moderated by Max Czollek and Ibou Coulibaly Diop

18:00–23:00
Magnus Hirschfeld Bar and Angie Stardust Foyer
Music by DJ Ghostscratcher, Emp-Champ da Destroya, and new money