Know Your Rights!

The workshop will build on these questions and address the issues discussed above. Participants will jointly analyze the so-called "shift to the right" and experiences of repression in schools. They will also reflect on different perspectives and develop possible courses of action in response to these developments.

This one-day event in Berlin brings together students, school counselors, teachers, youth workers, and political education specialists. The program includes keynote speeches, exploratory workshops, and an in-depth exchange of ideas.

The event aims to honor the "Unsung Heroes" of daily educational work across all sectors. Existing student initiatives will also be presented. The goal is to analyze the changing, increasingly repressive political situation and take collective action against it. Topics will range from political education and legal issues to organizational possibilities in school policy and building communities for young people. The event is intended for politically active students, students who wish to become active, and educators who perform significant political work in schools and youth centers.

Spore Initiative and the Association of Palestinian and Jewish Academics (PJA)

Program 

9.30 – 10.00 am    |    Welcome and introduction by Marc Siegel and Dana Abdel Fattah, Association of Palestinian and Jewish Academics (PJA)  

10.00 – 10.30 am    |    School in the Times of Staatsräson — panel discussion with Kawthar El-Qasem, Imad Mustafa, Aurelia Kalisky and Leyla Dakhli. Moderator: Jose Segebre. Panelists: Members of PJA           

10.30 – 11.00 am    |    Coffee break  

11.00 am – 1.00 pm    |    Workshops: 

Workshop 1:     Anti-Palestinian Racism in Schools

Open to all

This workshop focuses specifically on anti-Palestinian racism and its manifestations in educational contexts. Participants will have the opportunity to understand anti-Palestinian racism, share experiences, examine mechanisms, and discuss ways to take action against discrimination. The goal is to recognize anti-Palestinian racism in schools and develop solidarity-based counterstrategies within the school environment.

Workshop 2:     Understanding Together with João Albertini & Mariela Nagle  

Open for all  

Diversity is under attack. However, to continue discussing diversity and making it tangible, we need a methodology that enables this. 

Addressing social positioning, whether self-chosen or imposed, requires materials and narratives. This allows us to examine mechanisms of exclusion and inclusion more closely. 

In this workshop, we will discuss these topics through the Picture Book Journey project of Spore Initiative and present resources for school-based work.

Workshop 3:     Shaping Narratives, with Tactical Tech   

For Adults (Educators) 

This workshop encourages participants to reflect on the importance of scrutinizing news headlines. These headlines can shape our understanding of reality, especially in a data-driven, technology-enabled information ecosystem.

The workshop is led by Tactical Tech. Tactical Tech is an organization that is active both locally and internationally. For over two decades, it has addressed the socio-political and ecological impacts of technology on society. It supports the use and mastery of technologies to promote democratic values and a healthy information ecosystem.

1.00 pm    |    Group lunch for everyone  

2.00 – 3.30 pm    |    Workshops / Training Sessions: 

Workshop 1:     School in Times of Militarization

Debates about war and rearmament do not stop at school gates. But how does militarization manifest itself in the education sector? In this workshop, we will explore the influence of military narratives, institutions, and interests on schools through educational programs, career guidance, and political discourse. Together, we will reflect on the effects on students and develop approaches for critical, peace-oriented educational practices.  

Workshop 2:     Individual:Decay with Isra Abdou   

For young people
 

So many individual cases that it’s almost impossible to keep track of them all. They form a dense web of anger, fear and pain. The few rays of light that find their way through these stories bring hope and courage. In the workshop ‘Individual:Decay’, young people work together with the artist Isra Abdou to collectively create a zine. The aim is to gather these ‘individual cases’ – which are not isolated at all – to layer them and make their decay visible.

Workshop 3:     Adultism 

Open for all

Adultism is considered the first fundamental experience of oppression and form of othering that almost everyone encounters in their lives. Even in childhood, we learn how power is abused and that there is a "top" (adults) and a "bottom" (children). These experiences occur before we can consciously reflect on racism or sexism. 

We are taught that it is normal for older people to have more rights and make decisions without consulting younger people. Adultism is often not recognized as discrimination, but rather dismissed as the natural order ("upbringing"), making it particularly formative as the first experience of othering. In this workshop, we will create a space for self-reflection, exchange, and collaborative learning. 

Workshop 4: Power, Voice, and Expression - Spaces of Resistance 
This workshop is specifically designed for school and university students!

This workshop explores questions of power, repression, and expression in students’ everyday lives, especially in school, while connecting these experiences to broader global contexts such as the genocide in Gaza. Using methods from the "Theatre of the Oppressed", participants will engage in interactive exercises and role-play. The focus is on sharing perspectives, reflecting on situations of silencing or injustice, and exploring possible actions. The workshop creates a respectful space for dialogue, critical thinking, and empowerment.  

3.30 – 4.00 pm    |    Coffee break  

4.00 pm     Discussion: From Talk to Action: – Perspectives for Schools      

Open for all  

5.00 pm     Wrap-up with informational materials 

Register for all workshops here.

Please specify which workshop you wish to attend.