Iran

People in Iran have been protesting against the oppression of women by the repressive regime for their freedom and a political system change, and not just since the death of Mahsa Amini in September 2022. The protests are no longer just about the issue of compulsory headscarves, but about a general frustration with the ruling regime and its corrupt treatment of the population. The protests have now taken on a nationwide dimension and encompassed many areas of society. The government's response is open violence, demonstrations are brutally crushed, participants are arrested and even sentenced to death. Many artists and cultural workers have also been arrested, are no longer able to work in the country or live in exile.

Like many other international cultural institutions, the Goethe-Institut in Tehran has been closed since 1987. The programme of the Goethe-Institut in Exile aims to reflect the current situation of the Iranian art and cultural scene on site and to open up a platform and a space for dialogue for the German-Iranian community in Berlin. The event programme focuses on the question of how artistic, literary and performative positions negotiate the current and past political crises in Iran. In addition, the role of international cultural institutions and foreign cultural policy as well as the opportunities for artists working and living outside Iran will be discussed. Numerous events are dedicated to female and non-binary positions.