KAAD Annual Academy
Every year, the KAAD Annual Academy brings together guests from academia and the church with our scholarship holders to discuss topics that are important for our institution and our global network.
38th Annual Academy | May 22-25, 2025
Democracies under pressure - causes and strategies for action from a global perspective
Democracies are under pressure. Liberal politics are declining worldwide as populations turn to authoritarian populist figures - their answers to the pressing issues of the day are often nationalistic, simplistic, exclusivist and anti-pluralist. More than a third of the world's population is directly affected by developments in the USA or India, Russia and China, as well as some European countries such as Hungary - and the impact goes far beyond this. Civil societies everywhere are directly experiencing the "shrinking spaces", the restrictions on their scope for action and opportunities for participation.
During his pontificate, Pope Francis has repeatedly and urgently commented on the situation of democracies worldwide. "Democracy in the world is not doing well today", he stated - and compared its crisis to a "wounded heart". Where democratic institutions are weakened and the principles of the rule of law come under pressure, he warned, the protection of minorities also threatens to erode. Pope Francis repeatedly called on Catholics around the world to take responsibility, raise their voices and help shape concrete spaces for participation. This legacy remains a challenge even after his death.
At a time when many democracies are facing increasing pressure and authoritarian tendencies, social inequality, disinformation and geopolitical tensions are palpable, it is crucial to analyze the causes and effects of these developments. What factors contribute to the decline of democratic values in different regions of the world and what explanations are there for this? How can democracies be strengthened and made more resilient to internal and external threats? What role do international organizations and civil society actors play in defending and promoting democratic principles?
The 38th Annual Academy would like to explore these questions together with representatives from academia, politics and the church from around fifty KAAD countries and make a contribution to strengthening civil society actors, especially change agents.
Thursday, May 22, 2025
| Expert group meeting in the run-up to the Annual Academy | |
| 10.00-16.00 | Music specialist group Chair: Renate Flügel, KAAD |
| from 12.00 noon | Snack |
| 13.00-16.00 hrs | Global Health Section: Equal opportunities and access to healthcare: Equitable health systems as a challenge for democracy Chair: Nils Fischer, KAAD |
| 13.00-16.00 hrs | Expert Group Religion in Dialogue: When religious competence becomes relevant - questions of ecology, education and nationalism Chair: Dr. Anselm Feldmann, KAAD Prof. Dr. Esther-Maria Guggenmos, Lund University |
| 13.00-16.00 | Peace and Justice Section: Civil Societies under Pressure - Global Voices for Justice and Peace Chair: Dr. Mirjam Rossa, KAAD |
| 13.00-16.00 | Expert group on water: Global water crises and democratic participation: Ways to sustainable solutions Chair: Martina May, KAAD Prof. Dr. Franz Nestmann, KIT Karlsruhe |
| 14.00-16.00 | Language group: Who is allowed to speak? Language, power and participation in democracies under pressure Chair: Helen Meier, KAAD David E. Alvarado Archila, PhD student, University of Cologne |
| 17.00 hrs | Opening of the Academy Lecture Lecture |
| from 19.30 hrs | Reception buffet |
Friday, May 23, 2025
| 7.30 a.m. | Church service (chapel) |
| from 7.30 a.m. | breakfast |
| 9.00 a.m. | Work in the forums Forum 2: Shrinking Spaces - Importance and scope for action of civil societies and academia Forum 3: Endangered fourth estate? Media and Democracy Forum 5: Democracy and colonialism |
| 12.00 p.m. | Lunch will be served |
| 14.00 hrs | Barcamp "Democracies under pressure - valves for freedom" |
| 16.30 hrs | Meeting in prayer (chapel) |
| 17.30 hrs | Spring buffet |
| 20.00 hrs | Musical ceremony |
Saturday, May 24, 2025
| from 7.30 a.m. | breakfast |
| 8.30 a.m. | Meeting of the regional groups of scholarship holders |
| 9.00 a.m. | Meeting of the liaison lecturers, committee members and representatives of the university pastoral care team |
| 11:30 a.m. | International festive service |
| 13.00 hrs | Lunch |
| 14.30 hrs | Information event for new KAAD scholarship holders |
| 15.30 hrs | Preparation of the International Soirée |
| 18.00 hrs | Dinner |
| 20.00 hrs | International Soirée: The diversity of KAAD |
