From the 17th to the 23rd of November, 2025 in Berlin
Many diverse collaborations and community perspectives shape the anniversary programme that will take place in Berlin from the 17th to the 23rd November 2025. More than 30 events with around 40 cooperating partners and over 100 participants from Berlin and Windhoek will take place across the city in different locations. The programme focuses on contemporary art, film and music, and invites the public to remembrance culture projects and civil society dialogue that also give visibility to underrepresented perspectives. Artistic exchange, transnational productions and developing sustainable networks are also the central focus of this anniversary week. It deals with Germany’s colonial past and its effects in Namibia, reflects on its impact in the present and explores perspectives for a shared future.
A main feature of the programme is the European premiere of the music theatre production “People of Song”, which was developed by a Namibian-German artists collective associated with the theatre organisation Momentbühne and, after its world premiere in Windhoek, will be performed for the first time in Berlin in the Humboldt Forum during the anniversary celebrations. Another highlight is the artistic intervention “Memory Scripts” by Windhoek artist Vitjitua Ndjiharine, which will be displayed prominently on a public building throughout the anniversary week and thus enter into dialogue with Berlin’s urban society.
Daily city tours by Berlin Postkolonial and deSta – Decolonial City Tour invite the public to explore Berlin and its history with a critical eye. The film festival “AFRIKAMERA – Contemporary Cinema from Africa” will present a night of Namibian films, talks and music at the SİNEMA TRANSTOPIA, including presentations of work by other project partners, for example a cinematic VR-project. At the Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz, there will be a special Namibia edition of the “Decolonized Glamour Talks” – a performative talk format with guests from Namibia, initiated by Lara-Sophie Milagro.
“Traces of Memory”, an event at the Gropius Bau curated by Kulturprojekte Berlin, will explore the theme of archives and ask how the past and present are linked in them. Forensic Architecture, Contemporary And (C&), TheMuseumsLab, urban dialogues and other participating researchers, artists and organisations will present their current work and research projects and discuss sustainable forms of international collaboration. In the Berlin Global Village, Decolonize Berlin will explore the theme “Reframing Relations” and bring together civil society stakeholders from Namibia and Germany to discuss what is required for decolonial relations.
SODI e.V., a leading organisation for future-orientated education work, are creating a mobile presentation that provides insights into the shared history of both countries as well as a look back at the 25-year city partnership. There will also be many other exhibitions, panel discussions, films, music and participatory projects, such as a podcast for children by BÜCHERALARM and an open community singing event in the Genezarethkirche, which is being hosted by Kulturprojekte Berlin and Namibian singers from the project “People of Song”.