Perspectives from North Africa and the Middle East


 Berlinale Bloggers 2026

Comedies, thrillers, a love story, anime, a western, other genres: the competition at the 76th Berlinale presents cinema in all its beautiful diversity. The Berlinale bloggers are looking forward to the 22 films in competition and to more cinematic highlights from other festival sections. They know for sure: the film city of Berlin will still have so much to offer in 2026! 

Berlinale Bloggers 2026 © Tobias Schrank

In-Depth
 Inclusion Without Limits

What needs to change for inclusion to become the norm? Inclusion is much more than the integration of the “marginalized.” Access to all areas of life—be it education, sports, culture, politics, or the healthcare sector—must be equal for all people, with and without disabilities, from the outset. However, this only works if as many people and institutions as possible actively participate. Legal frameworks and agreements, such as the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, already exist in many places, but implementation is lacking. What is the current situation for people with disabilities in the region? How are those affected trying to actively participate, and what obstacles do they encounter?

A women in a wheelchair is looking at a group of people going upstairs while holding protest signs. The signs show symbols associated with inclusion and diversity. The stairs has no wheelchair ramp. ©Tuffix

In-Depth 
 Diaspora and Exile

Migration is as old as humanity itself. People leave their home countries for a variety of reasons, from war and persecution to the search for opportunity. Some settle in their new environments, while others stay only as long as necessary. What is the current situation of the various diaspora and exile communities, some second- and even third-generation, from and within the MENA region? What are their stories? What challenges, but also what successes, have they experienced? With testimonies from Sudan, Lebanon, Mauritania, Syria, as well as the Palestinian, Assyrian, and Tuareg communities.

Three hands holding strings. A heart is in the center. The world map is in the background. ©Goethe-Institut / Ruya; Sara Amin

Hakawati
 Green stories from the MENA region

The impacts of climate change are strongly felt across the MENA region. Sustainability and environmental protection are gaining increasing significance. At the same time, the region has a rich oral tradition. Stories have the ability to make information about sustainability accessible and impactful. What kinds of green stories do people from different countries share? How can we inspire people for sustainability through storytelling? And how can “Hakawati,” the traditional storytellers, help us with that?

A woman holds a megaphone from which rain and wind turbines emerge. © Goethe-Institut


Mirath:Music

Mirath:Music is a sound exhibition about the cultural heritage music in North and Northeast Africa and West Asia. The music productions use the participating artists’ individual takes on the subject and play with musical elements from different times and places.

Mirath © Goethe-Institut


Exhibition “TRUST(ful)”

Ten photographers and ten poets from nine different countries in North Africa and the Middle East together created, invited by RUYA, ten diverse works on the topic of trust. Each exhibit consists of an original poem accompanied by a photograph or series of photographs. The exhibition takes place as part of the Kultursymposium Weimar 2023.

Exhibition "TRUST(ful)" ©Canva/ divers

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