Goethe-Institut im Exil Hosted “Art & Afternoon Tea” for Afghan Artists in Berlin
Community meet-up created space for exchange and dialogue
September 01st, 2025
On Sunday, 17 August 2025, the Goethe-Institut im Exil welcomed members of Berlin’s Afghan community to its monthly gathering “Art & Afternoon Tea” at Kunsthaus ACUD. The event offered Afghan artists and cultural practitioners an open and welcoming space to meet, share ideas, and strengthen networks in an informal and creative environment. Over tea and conversation, participants were encouraged to exchange experiences of artistic practice in exile and discuss new collaborative opportunities.
A special highlight of the afternoon was the presentation of “The History of ARG” by Afghan author Alam Gul Sahar. Born in 1963 in Paktia province, Sahar is a poet, writer, and journalist whose career spans decades of literary and cultural work. He studied literature at Kabul University and has written 28 books across poetry, fiction, folklore, children’s literature, and history — 22 of which have been published. In addition to his work with Afghan media outlets such as the BBC, Azadi Radio, and Lemar TV, Sahar also served as cultural attaché at the Afghan Embassy in Germany. His reading provided both a literary and historical dimension to the afternoon, engaging the audience with reflections on Afghan identity and memory.
The initiative is part of the wider mission of the Goethe-Institut im Exil, which offers displaced, exiled, and migrant artists a platform to continue their work and to be visible within Germany’s cultural landscape. Acting as a place of arrival, exchange, and performance, the program was created in response to the closure of Goethe-Institut branches in countries affected by war and censorship. It provides insights into stories of displacement, border experiences, and new beginnings, while at the same time strengthening the visibility of the diverse cultural scene in the diaspora.
By organizing such gatherings, the Goethe-Institut not only supports Afghan cultural practitioners in Berlin but also fosters cultural diplomacy in exile. Events like “Art & Afternoon Tea” underline the importance of dialogue and creativity as tools for resilience, integration, and cross-cultural understanding. In bringing together literature, conversation, and community, the Goethe-Institut im Exil continues to build bridges between societies and to protect endangered artistic voices.
References:
- https://www.facebook.com/goetheinstitutimexil/posts/art-afternoon-tea-community-meet-up-for-artists-and-cultural-practitioners-from-/1335078655284409/
- https://www.goethe.de/prj/gex/de/index.html
- https://www.instagram.com/goethe_institut_im_exil/
- https://www.wasgehtinberlin.de/termin_details.php?id=41638958&date=2025-08-17
