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Reflexes & Reflections

Key Visual Reflexes & Reflections 2026

The Great Disorder

4-Day Focus curated by Saba-Nur Cheema and Meron Mendel

Reflexe & Reflexionen 2027

The next edition of Reflexe & Reflexionen is scheduled to take place from 24 to 26 June 2027. The programme will be published in spring 2027.

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Reflexes & Reflections 2026

The Great Disorder

Certainly since the re-election of Donald Trump it has become clear that a violent, multipolar world order is evolving. Autocratic tendencies that are now also manifesting themselves in former liberal democracies are converging with returning fantasies of great imperial power. Meanwhile East-West and North-South axes are gradually becoming less significant in charting political relations in a radically changing world.

As a result, the legacy of liberal institutions and international co-operation is being questioned. A postcolonial perspective, fed by criticism of Western policy, is also insufficient to describe current geopolitical conflicts. At the same time, major global conflicts impact Germany’s postmigrant society and threaten social harmony.

The third edition of Reflexes & Reflections, again was curated by the political scientist Saba-Nur Cheema and the historian Meron Mendel, also marked the 75th anniversary of the Berliner Festspiele. As a cultural institution that is linked to Berlin’s eventful history, in their anniversary year the Berliner Festspiele examined the consequences of the current geopolitical upheaval for open societies.

Where should socially and culturally engaged individuals and institutions now turn? Which new co-ordinates offer a degree of orientation? In considering these problems, among the prominent speakers from the fields of politics, academia and culture, the voices of Berlin schoolchildren were also heard for the first time.

Reflexes & Reflections in the Media Library

The third edition reflected an increasingly violent, multipolar world order, marked by the rise of autocratic tendencies and the waning relevance of traditional geopolitical frameworks. Against this backdrop, what points of reference remain for social and cultural actors and institutions - and which new ones are emerging? 

The panels and discussions of Reflexes & Reflections are published in the Berliner Festspiele media library and, in collaboration with the Festival Internacional Teatro a Mil (Santiago de Chile), they also will be made available on their website with Spanish subtitles. 

To the Media Library
Three people seated on a stage, one speaking with a microphone.

After Postcolonialism

© Berliner Festspiele, Photo: Camille Blake

Impressions 2026

  • Two people at a lectern against a blue background, text: Red Red (not fully readable).

    Opening with Meron Mendel and Saba-Nur Cheema

    © Berliner Festspiele, photo: Camille Blake

  • Three people on a stage, two male-read and one female-read person, discussing. Microphone and water glasses.

    Freedom of Art and Expression Under Pressure. Panel with Rüdiger Kruse, Christoph Möllers, Clara Weyde

    © Berliner Festspiele, photo: Camille Blake

  • Three people sitting on a stage talking, one holding a microphone. Glass bottles on a table.

    Former Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel in Conversation with Saba-Nur Cheema and Meron Mendel

    © Berliner Festspiele, photo: Camille Blake

  • Male-perceived person standing alone at a lectern with text 'Reflexe & Reflexionen'. Dark stage in the background.

    What Do We Need to Know for the Future? Panel with Gabriel Boric

    © Berliner Festspiele, photo: Camille Blake

  • Four people seated on stage in discussion. Two bottles of water on the floor.

    What Do We Need to Know for the Future? Panel with Vanessa Rau, Meredith Whittaker, Corine Pelluchon, Gabriel Boric

    © Berliner Festspiele, Photo: Camille Blake

  • Woman with blonde hair, glasses, and black shirt speaking at podium with two microphones.

    What Do We Need to Know for the Future? Panel with Corine Pelluchon

    © Berliner Festspiele, photo: Camille Blake

  • Three male-presenting individuals seated on stage, two holding microphones, with a blue background.

    International Alliances Under Threat. Panel with Peter Neumann, Markus N. Beeko, Johannes Varwick

    © Berliner Festspiele, photo: Camille Blake

  • Male and female-presenting persons sitting on stage, speaking with microphones.

    International Alliances Under Threat. Panel with Sabine Adler, Peter Neumann

    © Berliner Festspiele, photo: Camille Blake

  • Four people in front of wood paneling. Two wear shirts, one tunic-like dress, one blouse.

    Matthias Pees, Former Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel, Saba-Nur Cheema, Meron Mendel

    © Berliner Festspiele, photo: Camille Blake

  • Three people on a stage having a discussion. Background screen reads: Reflexe & Reflexionen, 75 Jahre Berliner Festspiele.

    The Great Disorder: A New Beginning or the End? Panel with Mark Schieritz, Nesrine Malik, Adam Tooze

    © Berliner Festspiele, photo: Camille Blake

  • Person with microphone, white blouse and red pants sits on chair, black background.

    Freedom of Art and Expression Under Pressure. Panel with Vivian Perkovic

    Berliner Festspiele, Foto: Camille Blake

  • Two people seated on chairs on a dark stage, one person speaks with an uplifted hand, glasses and water carafes on small tables.

    After Postcolonialism. Panel with Meera Nanda, José Brunner

    © Berliner Festspiele, photo: Camille Blake

  • Person stands at podium in front of audience, sign with Reflexe und Reflektionen.

    What Do We Need to Know for the Future? Panel with Meredith Whittaker

    © Berliner Festspiele, photo: Camille Blake

  • Male-presenting person with glasses and microphone, wearing brown patterned jacket and white pants, speaking.

    After Postcolonialism. Panel with Ijoma Mangold

    © Berliner Festspiele, Photo: Camille Blake

  • A female-presenting person in a houndstooth-patterned dress speaks to a male-presenting man in a blue suit on a stage.

    Global Conflicts in German Post-Migrant Society. Panel with Yuliya Kosyakova, Steffen Mau

    © Berliner Festspiele, photo: Camille Blake

  • Male-perceived person in a suit, holding a microphone and pen, speaking while gesturing.

    Global Conflicts in German Post-Migrant Society. Panel with Harald Asel

    © Berliner Festspiele, photo: Camille Blake

  • Two people at a lectern against a blue background, text: Red Red (not fully readable).

    Opening with Meron Mendel and Saba-Nur Cheema

    © Berliner Festspiele, photo: Camille Blake

  • Three people on a stage, two male-read and one female-read person, discussing. Microphone and water glasses.

    Freedom of Art and Expression Under Pressure. Panel with Rüdiger Kruse, Christoph Möllers, Clara Weyde

    © Berliner Festspiele, photo: Camille Blake

  • Three people sitting on a stage talking, one holding a microphone. Glass bottles on a table.

    Former Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel in Conversation with Saba-Nur Cheema and Meron Mendel

    © Berliner Festspiele, photo: Camille Blake

  • Male-perceived person standing alone at a lectern with text 'Reflexe & Reflexionen'. Dark stage in the background.

    What Do We Need to Know for the Future? Panel with Gabriel Boric

    © Berliner Festspiele, photo: Camille Blake

  • Four people seated on stage in discussion. Two bottles of water on the floor.

    What Do We Need to Know for the Future? Panel with Vanessa Rau, Meredith Whittaker, Corine Pelluchon, Gabriel Boric

    © Berliner Festspiele, Photo: Camille Blake

  • Woman with blonde hair, glasses, and black shirt speaking at podium with two microphones.

    What Do We Need to Know for the Future? Panel with Corine Pelluchon

    © Berliner Festspiele, photo: Camille Blake

  • Three male-presenting individuals seated on stage, two holding microphones, with a blue background.

    International Alliances Under Threat. Panel with Peter Neumann, Markus N. Beeko, Johannes Varwick

    © Berliner Festspiele, photo: Camille Blake

  • Male and female-presenting persons sitting on stage, speaking with microphones.

    International Alliances Under Threat. Panel with Sabine Adler, Peter Neumann

    © Berliner Festspiele, photo: Camille Blake

  • Four people in front of wood paneling. Two wear shirts, one tunic-like dress, one blouse.

    Matthias Pees, Former Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel, Saba-Nur Cheema, Meron Mendel

    © Berliner Festspiele, photo: Camille Blake

  • Three people on a stage having a discussion. Background screen reads: Reflexe & Reflexionen, 75 Jahre Berliner Festspiele.

    The Great Disorder: A New Beginning or the End? Panel with Mark Schieritz, Nesrine Malik, Adam Tooze

    © Berliner Festspiele, photo: Camille Blake

  • Person with microphone, white blouse and red pants sits on chair, black background.

    Freedom of Art and Expression Under Pressure. Panel with Vivian Perkovic

    Berliner Festspiele, Foto: Camille Blake

  • Two people seated on chairs on a dark stage, one person speaks with an uplifted hand, glasses and water carafes on small tables.

    After Postcolonialism. Panel with Meera Nanda, José Brunner

    © Berliner Festspiele, photo: Camille Blake

  • Person stands at podium in front of audience, sign with Reflexe und Reflektionen.

    What Do We Need to Know for the Future? Panel with Meredith Whittaker

    © Berliner Festspiele, photo: Camille Blake

  • Male-presenting person with glasses and microphone, wearing brown patterned jacket and white pants, speaking.

    After Postcolonialism. Panel with Ijoma Mangold

    © Berliner Festspiele, Photo: Camille Blake

  • A female-presenting person in a houndstooth-patterned dress speaks to a male-presenting man in a blue suit on a stage.

    Global Conflicts in German Post-Migrant Society. Panel with Yuliya Kosyakova, Steffen Mau

    © Berliner Festspiele, photo: Camille Blake

  • Male-perceived person in a suit, holding a microphone and pen, speaking while gesturing.

    Global Conflicts in German Post-Migrant Society. Panel with Harald Asel

    © Berliner Festspiele, photo: Camille Blake

  • Two people at a lectern against a blue background, text: Red Red (not fully readable).

    Opening with Meron Mendel and Saba-Nur Cheema

    © Berliner Festspiele, photo: Camille Blake

  • Three people on a stage, two male-read and one female-read person, discussing. Microphone and water glasses.

    Freedom of Art and Expression Under Pressure. Panel with Rüdiger Kruse, Christoph Möllers, Clara Weyde

    © Berliner Festspiele, photo: Camille Blake

  • Three people sitting on a stage talking, one holding a microphone. Glass bottles on a table.

    Former Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel in Conversation with Saba-Nur Cheema and Meron Mendel

    © Berliner Festspiele, photo: Camille Blake

  • Male-perceived person standing alone at a lectern with text 'Reflexe & Reflexionen'. Dark stage in the background.

    What Do We Need to Know for the Future? Panel with Gabriel Boric

    © Berliner Festspiele, photo: Camille Blake

  • Four people seated on stage in discussion. Two bottles of water on the floor.

    What Do We Need to Know for the Future? Panel with Vanessa Rau, Meredith Whittaker, Corine Pelluchon, Gabriel Boric

    © Berliner Festspiele, Photo: Camille Blake

  • Woman with blonde hair, glasses, and black shirt speaking at podium with two microphones.

    What Do We Need to Know for the Future? Panel with Corine Pelluchon

    © Berliner Festspiele, photo: Camille Blake

  • Three male-presenting individuals seated on stage, two holding microphones, with a blue background.

    International Alliances Under Threat. Panel with Peter Neumann, Markus N. Beeko, Johannes Varwick

    © Berliner Festspiele, photo: Camille Blake

  • Male and female-presenting persons sitting on stage, speaking with microphones.

    International Alliances Under Threat. Panel with Sabine Adler, Peter Neumann

    © Berliner Festspiele, photo: Camille Blake

  • Four people in front of wood paneling. Two wear shirts, one tunic-like dress, one blouse.

    Matthias Pees, Former Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel, Saba-Nur Cheema, Meron Mendel

    © Berliner Festspiele, photo: Camille Blake

  • Three people on a stage having a discussion. Background screen reads: Reflexe & Reflexionen, 75 Jahre Berliner Festspiele.

    The Great Disorder: A New Beginning or the End? Panel with Mark Schieritz, Nesrine Malik, Adam Tooze

    © Berliner Festspiele, photo: Camille Blake

  • Person with microphone, white blouse and red pants sits on chair, black background.

    Freedom of Art and Expression Under Pressure. Panel with Vivian Perkovic

    Berliner Festspiele, Foto: Camille Blake

  • Two people seated on chairs on a dark stage, one person speaks with an uplifted hand, glasses and water carafes on small tables.

    After Postcolonialism. Panel with Meera Nanda, José Brunner

    © Berliner Festspiele, photo: Camille Blake

  • Person stands at podium in front of audience, sign with Reflexe und Reflektionen.

    What Do We Need to Know for the Future? Panel with Meredith Whittaker

    © Berliner Festspiele, photo: Camille Blake

  • Male-presenting person with glasses and microphone, wearing brown patterned jacket and white pants, speaking.

    After Postcolonialism. Panel with Ijoma Mangold

    © Berliner Festspiele, Photo: Camille Blake

  • A female-presenting person in a houndstooth-patterned dress speaks to a male-presenting man in a blue suit on a stage.

    Global Conflicts in German Post-Migrant Society. Panel with Yuliya Kosyakova, Steffen Mau

    © Berliner Festspiele, photo: Camille Blake

  • Male-perceived person in a suit, holding a microphone and pen, speaking while gesturing.

    Global Conflicts in German Post-Migrant Society. Panel with Harald Asel

    © Berliner Festspiele, photo: Camille Blake

About Reflexes & Reflections

The Reflexes & Reflections theme days are a programme series organised by Berliner Festspiele. In times of increasing polarisation of social debates, it aims to create open and controversial spaces for discussion. Reflexes & Reflections brings together artistic and discursive positions to negotiate social problems and contentious issues.

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