Workshop in Cooperation with Volkhochschule Erlangen: “Better Not to Say Anything at All! Or Should We?”

Together with the Volkshochschule Erlangen, the Research Center for Religious Diversity held a workshop on September 20, 2024, addressing the impacts of the current conflict in the Middle East on German society.

The event, attended by approximately 40 guests from the fields of adult education, schools, human rights work, and religious communities and institutions, also served as the ceremonial kickoff for the resumption of the “Middle East Café” at Volkshochschule Erlangen.

Following a small reception in the courtyard of the Egloffstein Palace in agreeable late summer weather, Michael Husarek, editor-in-chief of the Nürnberger Nachrichten, opened the event with a keynote speech. This was followed by a contribution from our director Prof. Dr. Mathias Rohe.

The second part of the event focused on small group discussions, facilitated and moderated by staff from the Research Center. The central question at first was why effective communication about the events following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, poses such significant challenges and in which areas these difficulties particularly arise. In the second step, the discussions explored what is necessary to re-establish conversation and overcome “us versus them” thinking.

In the concluding plenary session, concrete ideas were gathered, which will subsequently be pursued by the Research Center for Religious Diversity and Volkshochschule Erlangen.