Since its foundation (1997), the Maecenata Institute has focused on topics relating to aspects of the Islamic religion and societies shaped by Islam, such as intercultural and interreligious dialogue, as well as civil society aspects of the activities of Islamic organisations in Germany, for example in the fields of philanthropy and civic engagement. With the launch of the ‘Europa Bottom-Up’ programme (2011), the Institute expanded its focus to include Islamic culture and the Mediterranean region. Further planned projects by the Maecenata Foundation aim to further strengthen engagement with the MENA region and the Islamic world, in particular civil society, intercultural and interfaith dialogue, and the position of religious and ethnic minorities in Europe and the Middle East. Networking with other organisations to tap into their potential is an essential prerequisite for successful work and visibility in the political arena.
The MENA Study Centre is a small unit operating independently within the Maecenata Foundation. It was founded in February 2019 and supports the Foundation’s programmes and activities focusing on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, as well as the wider Islamic world, whilst contributing to intercultural dialogue through its own initiatives. The added value of the MENA Study Centre lies in its ability to respond spontaneously to current developments and to provide relevant academic analysis at short notice. Since its foundation, it has proved to be a valuable source of expertise for the Maecenata Foundation. The MENA Study Centre was headed by Prof. Dr Udo Steinbach.
Key Areas of Work and Research At the interface between academia, practice and politics, the MENA Study Centre
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Perspectives on inter-religious tensions in Germany in the context of the Gaza War
Since 7 October 2023, there has been a regrettable escalation of tension between sections of German society, which is having a negative impact on the coexistence of religious groups within our society. Against this backdrop, the MENA Study Centre advocates for nuanced and constructive positions and, to this end, maintains close dialogue with individuals and organisations from Islamic, Jewish, academic and civil society backgrounds. The results of these efforts to date include relevant observatories:
- Observatory 73 – Silenced Fronts
- Observatory 75 – The Escalation of Violence in the Middle East and the Coexistence of Jews and Muslims in Germany
- From the Opuscula series: Israel, Hamas, Palestine – A Topic for Civil Society Organisations in Germany
Current Challenges – the MENA Study Centre in Trialog
27 November 2023: Conflicting Values. The Global South and the West
11 November 2024: Europe is shrinking, Africa is growing – Population boom from the Middle East to Nigeria: causes, consequences, prospects
Poetry and Politics in the Middle East
4 December 2023: ‘Never was the night darker’ – Poetry and Politics in the Persian-speaking World
29 February 2024: The Art of Survival – Poetry and Politics in the Arabic-speaking World
25 September 2024: The most beautiful word … has not yet been spoken – Poetry and politics in the Turkish-speaking world
2 December 2024: “And it runs and tears, tears me away, my steed, without path or trace” – Poetry and Politics in Georgia
Wasatia Graduate School
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- The trilateral Wasatia Graduate School, established in cooperation with the Maecenata Foundation, the University of Cambridge and the Wasatia Graduate Institute in Jerusalem (‘Wasatia’ is Arabic for ‘reconciliation’ and ‘understanding’; already implemented in Jerusalem as an Israeli-Palestinian civil society education programme) is unique within the German university landscape – both thematically and methodologically.
>> About the European Wasatia Graduate School for Peace and Conflict Resolution
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“Poets in lean times”? – Voices of Arab authors in Germany
Arab intellectuals, artists and writers have long had painful experiences of emigration and exile. Many of them also live in Germany. Their literature strikes a balance: continuing to participate in the intellectual and political life of their homeland, whilst at the same time making their artistic voices heard within German society. At a time when immigration – not least from Arab countries – is accompanied by social tensions, Arab authors are attempting to build bridges and contribute to a climate open to cultural exchange.
Integration in Germany – better than its reputation
For a thriving coexistence in an immigration society, equal participation and a balance of interests between people with and without a migration background are essential. Empowering people with a migration background and their allies, as well as raising awareness amongst those in established structures of their responsibilities, are key strategies for eliminating the imbalance that still persists. What role do empowerment, resilience and solidarity play in fostering a good and equitable coexistence? The opportunities, but also the challenges, facing our community should be explained by people who have successfully found their place within it.
Research visit by Dr Hind Arroub
For a period of four weeks in September, Dr Hind Arroub, a Moroccan political scientist and human rights activist, undertook a research visit to Berlin, which was co-organised by the MENA Study Centre. Dr Arroub received a scholarship from the Federal Foreign Office for this visit. Hind Arroub is the founder of the independent and interdisciplinary think tank ‘Hypatia of Alexandria Institute for Reflection and Studies’. During her time in Berlin, she gave a lecture in collaboration with the German-Arab Friendship Society on the topic ‘Nine Years After the Arab Uprising: Freedom of Expression Still Not Welcome’, at the Maecenata Foundation’s premises, and published an essay in the Opuscula series.
>> Download the presentation from Dr Arroub’s lecture
9 November 2020 Online discussion event: Ecology and Environmental Policy in the Middle East
The theme of the event was ‘Ecology and Environmental Policy in the Middle East: Concepts and Crises’. The event was prompted by worrying signs such as the drying up of large bodies of water (e.g. Lake Urmia), the lack of clean drinking water for large sections of the population, and the prospect that agriculture, fisheries and urban structures across the entire region will be significantly affected by climate change in the future. What is the level of awareness of these phenomena in the region? What measures are being taken? Can cultural or religious factors be identified in how these issues are addressed? Read the event report