The event is being held in cooperation with the Academy for International Affairs NRW and the Bonn Center for Reconciliation Studies.

As Europe rethinks its foreign policy amidst shifting global political relations, one question remains central: Can cooperation succeed without confronting colonial history? This panel takes Germany’s first genocide of the 20th century in Namibia as a starting point to explore how colonial legacies continue to shape today’s global crises, from geopolitics and inequality to diplomacy and democracy. What does the “past in the present” mean for justice claims and Europe’s future role in the world?

With experts Henning Melber, Katharina Hacker, and Julia Manek, moderated by Heloise Weber, the discussion will connect postcolonial perspectives with today’s political challenges, including the rise of authoritarian populism as well as transnational efforts aimed at building relations of solidarity and ‘just repair’.