Open House Event: AGYA at Salon Sophie Charlotte 2026

Room 112
19.00-24.00 | Common Grounds: Conversations on Science Diplomacy & Conflict Resolution
AGYA Science Café
Enjoy Arabic coffee and dates in a welcoming setting and exchange ideas with members and alumni of the Arab-German Young Academy of Sciences and Humanities (AGYA). Together, we will explore how cooperation between Arab and German researchers can pave the way for common grounds and practical solutions to the pressing issues of our time. This science café provides a space for discussion about the interdisciplinary AGYA projects that address conflicts and challenges from different perspectives – from the social sciences and technology to the humanities, life and natural sciences, as well as the arts.

Room 113
19.00-24.00 | Mediterranean Cities: Urban Stories of Conflict and Conviviality
Photo Exhibition
How do cities resolve – or fail to resolve – their conflicts, and what traces and entanglements do these struggles leave behind? This photo exhibition explores how Mediterranean urban spaces reflect both past and current conflicts and the resilience of individuals and groups to try and make life better across dividing lines. Meet AGYA member Claire Bullen (Anthropology and Sociology, Tübingen), AGYA alumna Tamirace Fakhoury (International Politics and Conflict, Medford), and photographer Abed Abidat (Marseille) to discuss how photography can offer insights into ethnographic research on conflict resolution and urban co-existence.

Room 114
19.00 | Cities as Sites of Encounter: Conflict and Conviviality around the Mediterranean
Exhibition Opening & Panel Discussion
How do Mediterranean cities embody both coexistence and contestation? This panel brings together AGYA members and alumni/ae Tamirace Fakhoury (International Politics and Conflict, Medford), Claire Bullen (Anthropology and Sociology, Tübingen), Amro Ali (Sociology, Cairo), and Ayham Dalal (Architecture and Urban Design, Cairo) to examine how socio-economic forces, migration, memory, and urban design shape the ways people live together across lines of difference. The discussion explores how conflict, displacement, and creativity converge in Mediterranean cities, revealing how urban spaces – fragile yet resilient – can inspire new imaginaries of belonging and conviviality across the region. 

20.00 | Food Crisis: Sowing Solutions for Food Security and Healthy Nutrition
Panel Discussion
How can we sustain global food supplies as climate change transforms what can be grown, and where? This panel examines the cascading effects of climate change on food systems – from crop failures and shifting agricultural zones to questions of nutrition and food access – and explores adaptation strategies across different scales and contexts. Join Arab and German experts – AGYA alumnus Tilal Abdelhalim (Plant Breeding & Physiology, Khartoum/Tübingen), AGYA alumna Henda Mahmoudi (Plant Biology & Ecophysiology, Dubai), and Hermine Mitter (Environmental Economics & Sociology, Graz) – as they discuss how farmers, institutions, and policymakers can build more resilient food systems in the face of climate uncertainty, drawing on experiences from the Arab world and Europe. Constanze Bickelmann (Molecular Biology, Berlin) will host the discussion.
In cooperation with the former Interdisciplinary Research Group ‘Nutrition, Health, Prevention’ of the BBAW.

21.00 | The Disputed Scientist: Reflections on the Standing and Understanding of Scholars in Society
Panel Discussion
How can scholars navigate their roles in times of crises and uncertainty? How should academic knowledge shape societies in an age of post-truth and rising science scepticism? What challenges do scholars face in contexts of limited academic freedom, scarce resources, or political pressures? And how can education, research, and public engagement strengthen the societal relevance of scholarship in both the Arab world and Germany? These and further questions have been addressed at a recent international AGYA conference at the Tunisian Academy of Sciences, Letters and Arts in Tunis. Initial findings will be presented by AGYA alumni/ae Luise Fischer (Human & Historical Geography, Tunis/Leipzig), Jan Völkel (Political Science, Ottawa), Ahmad Amro (Epidemiology, Abu Dis) and Mohammad Alwahaib (Philosophy, Kuwait City) and put up for discussion with the audience. Sascha Hein (Education & Psychology, Berlin) will moderate the discussion.

22.00 | Conflict Resolved! Rays of Hope from History
Soap Box Talks
To conclude the evening, AGYA members and alumni will present surprising, yet remarkably effective methods of conflict resolution from different regions and historical periods. How did our ancestors resolve conflicts beyond war and fighting? Can we learn from their examples? And what new paths might we forge towards a more peaceful and respecting future? Join us for an inspiring journey through the unusual and creative ways of finding agreements and common grounds.