When Nasir Nadeem fled to Germany from Afghanistan in 2021, he left behind not only his home but also his professional identity. He was a writer and editor-in-chief of Subhe, an independent Kabul newspaper. What followed was a radical break from his previous way of life. He experienced foreignness and discrimination and was overcome by a deep sense of disorientation. Through a scholarship from the Martin Roth Initiative and collaboration with the writers’ association PEN Berlin, Nasir Nadeem not only rediscovered his voice as a writer, but also gained a new understanding of himself as an artist in exile. "I realised that I still have thoughts and ideas and a voice, and that there are listeners," he says today. He uses this voice to build bridges between the Afghan diaspora and the German cultural sector. Today, he is involved in work ranging from his own book projects and Persian poetry courses to the online revival of an Afghan daily newspaper. Nadeem's work shows how cultural production and democratic participation are possible, even in exile. ifa creates the space to make it happen.
Through the Martin Roth Initiative's protection programme, ifa enables artists and cultural practitioners whose work is restricted by state or non-state actors to carry on working. Since its foundation in 2018, the Martin Roth Initiative has funded more than 600 artists and cultural practitioners from more than 40 countries in cooperation with more than 100 host organisations in Germany and abroad. The initiative began with the insight from the ifa's exchange programmes that internationally, social and cultural free spaces are shrinking, a phenomenon first observed by ifa in dialogue with funded artists and cultural practitioners from countries such as Türkiye, Afghanistan and Syria.
Today, artists, journalists and human rights advocates appear to be coming under threat in an increasing number of countries. Foreign cultural relations that support liberal democratic values must respond to these developments. Thus, ifa created a flexible format – the Martin Roth Initiative. It is implemented in collaboration with the Goethe-Institut. It is meanwhile one of the largest artist protection programme in the world, and it is continually adapted to additional needs. Most recently, hubs have been set up in Kenya, Egypt and Myanmar, where cultural practitioners from particularly difficult contexts, such as Sudan, the Palestinian territories and Myanmar, can receive support quickly in the region in a way that is tailored to their needs.
The changes currently taking place in the world are evident not only in geopolitical conflicts, diverse crises and the threat of departure from internationally agreed norms and transformation goals. In some states, these changes are acutely altering the conditions for international cooperation. A new law in Georgia, for example, is hampering the work of international organisations.
When international funding may only be received with government permission, and there is even the threat of sanctions, it amounts to a form of control and intimidation that reduces the possibilities for international exchange. Next year, it will probably not be possible to extend ifa funding for Georgian organisations committed to freedom and democracy. Nevertheless, since 2024, ifa has strengthened its relations to partners in Georgia in a targeted way and continues to work through art exhibitions. In so doing, ifa signals to civil society in Georgia that we are there, and we are building a European bridge.
Agility is an important resource in times such as these. The guiding principle of ifa's activities is to have an effect where it is particularly needed. With its touring art exhibitions, ifa has a high-quality, flexible format that it uses to strengthen its work in the USA, particularly outside Washington, D. C. Civil-society spaces and democratic principles are increasingly coming under threat even in established democracies. ifa can build on relations it has cultivated since the 1960s. At that time, it showed exhibitions in many cities in the Midwest and South of the USA, far from the metropoles, for example on Käthe Kollwitz, documenta and the Bauhaus movement. ifa thus facilitates dialogue and exchange, even in times of political tensions, and joint critical reflection. It complements traditional ways of achieving mutual understanding through foreign policy or economic dealings – especially when these come up against their limits.
The world's present proneness to crisis is evident in the increasing "securitisation" of politics and debates. At a time of triple transformation in the fields of digitalisation, sustainability and society, when European governments are already facing large expenditures, pressure for higher security and defence spending and for the social backing this requires has grown significantly. In a climate of increasing uncertainty, anti-democratic forces are gaining support and identity discourses are having a divisive effect and hampering important social discussions. Border controls have once again become commonplace in the European single market. Yet in the long term, challenges such as climate change and migration cannot be overcome through isolation.
In this context, new, multilayered approaches are required, which ifa opens up and cultivates by combining expertise in different areas – art and research, culture and politics, information and empowerment. This interdisciplinarity, this dovetailing of analytical expertise, artistic practice and civil-society initiative enables ifa to provide differentiated, effective and creative answers to complex situations. In so doing, the Institute draws on its plentiful resources: an international network of partner institutions, more than 3,000 alumni, support from academic studies and research articles on the effectiveness of soft power and many years of experience in working with civil-society actors and organisations. Where artistic freedom, expression of opinion and civic engagement are at risk – in countries with authoritarian governments and in contexts of war and violence – ifa's scholarships, temporary stay and exchange programmes and targeted funding measures provide safe spaces for creative and critical work. Physically, in exile and increasingly also online.
A leading maxim of the ifa is that art needs freedom – and freedom needs spaces and structures that nurture it. ifa creates such structures. Through its programmes, it operates in more than 100 countries. This work to promote democracy, extending the area of influence of German foreign cultural policy to medium-sized cities and urban outskirts, is now becoming even more important for social cohesion and a common Europe.
ifa promotes freedom around the world by offering at-risk human rights defenders protection and space for their professional and personal development through the Elisabeth Selbert Initiative. Culture managers and editors support the civic engagement of organisations of German minorities in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. ifa strengthens the voices of journalists and reporters who are committed to democracy and, by means of multilingual platforms such as Qantara.de and Kulturaustausch, creates spaces for perspectives that would otherwise receive little attention. At the German Pavilion at La Biennale di Venezia, curated under the commission of ifa, social discourses were brought to the fore. More than 600,000 visitors and international coverage, including in the New York Times, reflect the global relevance and impact of the German contribution to the Biennale in 2024.
In its worldwide work, ifa also observes positive developments. Young people are intensifying their commitment to international exchange, democracy, human rights, the climate and social participation. They are important partners for ifa. They join networks, for example in the international summer camp for young people from the German minorities, and are also the target group of the CrossCulture Programme, for which applicant numbers have risen significantly in recent years. These people meet on a dedicated online civil society platform to engage in discussion, network and develop new projects, thereby becoming multipliers.
The progress of digitalisation offers opportunities for ifa's work. Online offerings make intelligent use of the potential offered by AI, for example, "Dreaming Beyond AI", a virtual exhibition that takes a critical look at the influence of artificial intelligence on societies and artistic production. Research publications by ifa show the risks and opportunities of AI applications in international cultural relations.
Important steps in ifa's work include the use of digital potential. But forward-thinking needs to go even further. In view of the political and upheavals worldwide, in Europe and in Germany, the Institute is currently discussing its future strategy in dialogue with its bodies and stakeholders.
Strategically positioned, international cultural work opens up opportunities and scope for action for civil society and policymakers – particularly in phases where governmental relations are difficult. Intermediary organisations of German foreign policy can take on key roles – acting as catalysts and bridge-builders and providing spaces for learning. They also have an influence on perceptions of Germany at a time when the country is repositioning itself internationally and narratives of the past, such as "Made in Germany" have become less effective. Today, freedom, security and prosperity are central. Supporting freedom is ifa's answer to global developments. Freedom in art, journalism and research, but also freedom in the area of commitment to open societies and democracy. As a German intermediary organisation, ifa is committed to upholding these freedoms worldwide and facilitates dialogue and understanding.
Nasir Nadeem, too, has regained this freedom: "The Martin Roth Initiative scholarship and the cooperation with PEN Berlin saved my life. The scholarship revived me physically, but also mentally."
Daniela Schwarzer is honorary President of ifa – Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen.
The original German version was first published in Politik & Kultur 9/2025.
