Between cancellation, uncertainty and dialogue

International exchanges with partner organizations from Israel have been a central component of the wannseeFORUM Foundation's work for many years. However, the years 2024 and 2025 have particularly highlighted the fragile conditions under which such exchange programs can take place – or even be cancelled.

The international seminar "Nation and Discrimination" to be cancelled at short notice in 2024. This was due to the escalating political situation in the Middle East and specific security-related developments. Flight cancellations – including the cancellation of flights by major European airlines – made travel impossible for the majority of the Israeli participants. At the same time, their return journey to Israel could not be reliably planned.

Besides the logistical challenges, questions of responsibility were paramount: How can the safety of the participants be guaranteed? What happens if a return journey is not possible? And how can the resulting financial risks be managed?

Against this background, we decided not to hold the seminar in 2024. This decision was based not only on organizational, but also on pedagogical and ethical grounds: Our responsibility to the participants made holding the seminar under the given conditions unacceptable.

“Nation and Discrimination” and “Creating Future” 2025

This made it all the more significant that international exchange formats with Israel could be realized again in 2025 – specifically the seminar “Nation and Discrimination” and the youth encounter “Creating Future (Berlin–Holon)”.

The experiences from the previous year significantly shaped the implementation of the program. Security issues, flexible planning structures, and increased sensitivity in dealing with political developments were key components of the preparation.

In both formats, participants engaged intensively with questions of identity, belonging, and discrimination. While “Nation and Discrimination” placed a clear focus on social inequalities and experiences of discrimination, bringing young people from Germany and Jewish and Palestinian Israelis into intensive dialogue, “Creating Future (Berlin–Holon)” more strongly questions of future prospects, coexistence, and social responsibility in the context of the city partnership.

Both encounters took place in a tense environment characterized by political conflicts, personal animosity, and societal polarization. Differing perspectives clashed directly – often accompanied by emotions, uncertainties, and even contradictions.

These dynamics were challenging, yet central to the educational work. A key objective was to create a safe space where controversial topics could be addressed and differing opinions could be tolerated. Dialogue formats played a crucial role here: they enabled participants to listen to one another, understand different perspectives, and reflect on their own positions.

At the same time, it became clear that this work requires intensive support. For many participants, political conflicts are not abstract topics, but part of their lived reality. Accordingly, it is important to design spaces that allow for both exchange and protection.

Educational significance of international exchange formats

In addition to the content-based work, creative and experiential methods also offered important approaches. Workshops, discussions, and joint activities allowed participants to process their impressions and find new forms of expression. This methodological diversity proved helpful in supporting both cognitive and emotional learning processes.

Despite the challenges, many participants found the direct interaction particularly valuable. The exchange with people from diverse social backgrounds opened up new perspectives and helped to question existing assumptions.

Especially in times of increasing social polarization and global crises, international youth exchanges are of particular importance. Formats such as "Nation and Discrimination" and "Creating Future (Berlin–Holon)" create spaces for dialogue, encounters, and a change of perspective. They enable young people to gain experiences that go far beyond theoretical political education.

These programs demonstrate the importance of maintaining and developing international exchange formats in the long term. Encounters between young people from diverse social and political backgrounds foster empathy and democratic skills. The ability to deal constructively with ambivalence and conflict has been strengthened – even in times of war and crisis.

Financial challenges and funding landscape

The implementation of the exchange programs in 2025 involved considerable additional costs. These arose primarily from the necessary security measures recommended or required by Israel for international exchanges.

These measures included exclusively using a few airlines such as El Al (due to the risk of short-notice flight cancellations), organized shuttle transfers to and from the airport, and the deployment of security personnel around the clock. These measures were necessary given the political situation, but resulted in significantly higher costs than previous exchange programs.

The existing state funding of €110 per participant per day was insufficient to cover these additional expenses. To enable the programs to proceed nonetheless, substantial third-party funding had to be secured.

This development makes it clear that international exchange programs are difficult to implement within existing funding structures under the current political conditions. Future exchanges therefore require stronger financial support and an adaptation of funding criteria to the actual demands of international exchange work in times of crisis.

Especially given current social tensions and increasing polarization, it would be problematic if such programs were to be discontinued for financial reasons. On the contrary, the experiences of recent years demonstrate how necessary international youth exchanges remain – even and especially under difficult circumstances.

outlook

The experiences from 2024 and 2025 clearly demonstrate that international exchange programs such as "Nation and Discrimination" and "Creating Future (Berlin–Holon)" are not a given. They depend on political developments, organizational frameworks, and reliable partnerships.

At the same time, they also demonstrate their enormous potential: They create spaces for understanding where speechlessness, distance or prejudice often dominate.

For the future work of the wannseeFORUM Foundation, continuing and developing these international exchanges will therefore remain a central concern. The past years have shown that this requires flexibility, a sense of responsibility, and robust cooperation – but also that this commitment is worthwhile.

Especially in times of political uncertainty, formats such as “Nation and Discrimination” and “Creating Future (Berlin–Holon)” an important contribution to dialogue, a change of perspective and a democratic, open society.

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