Kolonialismus Erinnern

A Place of Remembrance: Colonialism. Call & Response with Alice Hasters and Khuê Phạm

9 November

How can a central space for learning and remembrance be created to address the history of colonialism and its continuities? This question forms the starting point for a keynote dialogue between Alice Hasters and Khuê Phạm at the Prater on Kastanienallee.

The event reflects on the ‘Colonialism’ (2025) remembrance initiative, which was launched by members of Berlin’s civil society. It brings together activist, academic and artistic perspectives and sets out guidelines for engaging with and remembering Berlin’s long-suppressed colonial history.

Following an introduction by literary scholar and curator Ibou Diop, Alice Hasters and Khuê Phạm will address questions concerning the forms, practices and politics of remembrance and engage in a dialogue on these topics. The discussion will then continue with the guests.

The keynote dialogue marks the start of the event ‘Remembering Colonialism: From Concept to Place’, which takes place on 13 November at the Volksbühne on Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz.

in cooperation with ‘Remembering Colonialism’

Remembering Colonialism: From Concept to Place

13 Nov.

How can a central place of learning and remembrance be created in Berlin to address the history of colonialism and its continuities? What does its realisation require in today’s Berlin?

As the venue for the Berlin Conference on Africa (1884/85) and a colonial metropolis of the German Empire, the city is shaped by the traces and continuities of colonial history and thus bears a special political responsibility.

Against this backdrop, the event ‘Remembering Colonialism: From Concept to Place’ brings together perspectives from academia, art, architecture, activism and the practice of remembrance policy to share with a wide audience the substantive and spatial foundations of the future central place of learning and remembrance on colonialism, as well as the structures, collaborations and networks that can sustain it in the long term. The evening will be framed by artistic contributions from Ibrahima Niassy (aka Pisco) and Nathalie Vairac.

Nathalie Vairac will read from Felwine Sarr’s *Traces – A Speech to African Nations*. In this lyrical monologue, published in 2021, the Senegalese economist, philosopher and writer Felwine Sarr addresses the younger generations of the African continent and encourages them to shape a self-determined future.

The text will be performed for the first time by the artist and actress Nathalie Vairac, with German subtitles. Felwine Sarr has written a new foreword for this premiere.

in collaboration with Remembering Colonialism