Dialogue for Understanding e.V.

Russia's Ministry of Justice has designated Dialogue for Understanding e.V. (D4U) an "undesirable organisation" — we found out from independent media, not from Russian authorities.

The designation is explicitly linked, in that reporting, to our work supporting Ukrainians and to projects on the consequences of war and repression. For Russian citizens, the risks are serious and extraterritorial: cooperating with D4U, or even sharing our content, is now a criminal offence. We understand and respect anyone who chooses to distance themselves for their own safety.

None of this changes our work. We continue standing with Ukraine and with independent, democratic voices across the region — in Ukraine, the South Caucasus, and exile communities across Europe.

The full statement on our website in German.

Stellungnahme von Dialogue for Understanding e. V. (D4U) zur Einstufung als „unerwünschte Organisation“ in der Russischen Föderation Stellungnahme von Dialogue for Understanding e. V. (D4U) zur Einstufung als „unerwünschte Organisation“ in der Russischen Föderation

Last Thursday evening we opened "Stone Embroidery – Resilience and Cultural Memory" at Lite-haus Galerie + Projektraum, curated by Marta Pogorila - the closing event of our heritage project with Молоді Ініціативні. 🧵

Thank you to everyone who came by and talked with us about the concrete "Stone Vyshyvanka" replicas from Nova Kakhovka.

Haven't seen it yet? The exhibition runs through 26 September at LiTE-HAUS (Mareschstraße 4, 12055 Berlin). 📍

The project is implemented within the framework of the CCP Synergy Program, funded by Ifa - Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen, in cooperation with Молоді Ініціативні.

Five EU-Labs by the end of the year, fifteen more in 2027: our teams are moving into the next phase of the programme. 📋

In an online meeting with our trainers Ganna Skytova, Karolina Svyryda, and Mariia Hrynova, participants shared updates from their communities: the second Youth Forum under the "Youth House" initiative is already running, with more activities in preparation. Because of air-raid alerts and infrastructure damage, everything now happens in youth centres or properly equipped shelters. Teams are also sharing tools of their own, like a "Democratic Pie" game. 🎲

Starting in October, we are organizing biweekly Thursday sessions to bring in outside voices from Germany and Ukraine to speak on decentralisation, EU integration and youth policy. 🇺🇦

Stay tuned!

The project "She Can – Women for Ukraine Democratic and European Path" is implemented in cooperation with 3.5 відсотків and Обʼєднання «Агенція розвитку освітньої політики, with generous support from the Auswärtiges Amt and the Bundesministerium für Bildung, Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend.

#ВонаМоже

Tomorrow, 6-9pm: we open "Stone Embroidery - Resilience and Cultural Memory" at Lite-haus Galerie + Projektraum (Mareschstraße 4, 12055 Berlin), curated by Marta Pogorila. 🧵

It's the closing event of our heritage project with Molodi Initsiatyvni (Young Initiatives). In June, our participants worked with Ielizaveta Ievseieva and Marta Pogorila to cast and decorate concrete replicas of the "Stone Vyshyvankas" of Nova Kakhovka, ornaments the Ukrainian artist Hryhorii Dovzhenko carved into the city's facades in the 1950s.

Nova Kakhovka is under occupation now, and the Kakhovka Dam's destruction has put that heritage at acute risk. The pieces go on show in Berlin from tomorrow through 26 September. 📍

If you're in Berlin, come by.

The project is implemented within the framework of the CCP Synergy Program, funded by Ifa - Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen, in cooperation with Молоді Ініціативні.

Stone Embroidery – Resilience and Cultural Memory ​LiTE-HAUS presents "Stone Embroidery – Resilience and Cultural Memory". The exhibition is the result of a workshop exploring Ukrainian cultural motifs.

These are the wonderful speakers from last week’s discussion, “A New Chapter for Armenia and Azerbaijan: Dialogue, Peace and the Role of Europe,” hosted by Dialogue for Understanding e.V..

From left to right: moderator Dr. Tsypylma Darieva of ZOiS - Zentrum für Osteuropa- und internationale Studien; Emin Huseynov, Director of the Institute for Human Rights; Hovsep Khurshudyan, Chairman of the Free Citizen Civic Initiatives Support Center; and Nataliya Novakova, Executive Director of the Civil Society Forum.

Many thanks to everyone who contributed to such an open discussion and joined us in exploring the significance of the Armenia–Azerbaijan dialogue and peace process for the wider region.

Last week, Dialogue for Understanding e.V. hosted the public panel discussion "A New Chapter for Armenia and Azerbaijan: Dialogue, Peace and the Role of Europe" in Berlin. We were happy to welcome an engaged audience and bring together voices from Armenia, Azerbaijan and Germany for an open and constructive exchange.

The discussion featured Hovsep Khurshudyan, Chair of the Free Citizen Civic Initiatives Support Center; Emin Huseynov, Director of the Institute for Human Rights; and Nataliya Novakova, Executive Director of the Civil Society Forum e.V.. The discussion was moderated by Dr. Tsypylma Darieva, Senior Researcher at the ZOiS - Zentrum für Osteuropa- und internationale Studien.

The Armenia-Azerbaijan dialogue and peace process is important not only for the two countries, but is closely connected to the broader prospects for peace, stability, democratic development and cooperation in the South Caucasus.

Political agreements are essential, but sustainable peace also requires dialogue between societies. Civil society, independent media and direct exchange can play an important role in rebuilding trust and creating space for different perspectives.

At a time when geopolitical and economic interests increasingly shape international relations, we believe it is essential to keep human rights, democratic values and civil society at the heart of engagement with the region. The European Union has an important role to play in supporting these values while contributing to societal dialogue and sustainable peace in the South Caucasus.

Through our work, we are honored to contribute to this process by creating safe spaces where civil society actors from Armenia and Azerbaijan can meet, exchange perspectives and engage in constructive dialogue. Many thanks to our speakers, moderator and everyone who joined us and contributed to the discussion!

The project "Common Ground: Armenia–Azerbaijan Dialogue" is implemented in cooperation with the Free Citizen and the Institute For Human Rights.

Heute vor 87 Jahren, um 4.37 Uhr, fielen die ersten deutschen Bomben auf Wieluń, eine polnische Kleinstadt ohne militärische Bedeutung.

Drei Angriffswellen zerstörten rund 70 Prozent der Stadt. Historiker:innen ordnen den Angriff als erstes Kriegsverbrechen der Wehrmacht im Zweiten Weltkrieg ein. Wie viele Menschen starben, ist bis heute nicht geklärt: 127 Tote sind namentlich belegt, lange stand die Zahl von bis zu 1.200 im Raum.

In Berlin ist der Gedenkort für Polen 1939–1945 am früheren Standort der Kroll-Oper bis heute ein Provisorium. Dort wird heute um 16.30 Uhr an den Überfall erinnert.

Zur Veranstaltung-Anmeldung: https://www.stiftung-denkmal.de/aktuelles/gedenken-an-den-deutschen-ueberfall-auf-polen-vor-87-jahren/

The final stop of our heritage project: what we cast in Berlin in June now hangs as an exhibition at Lite-haus Galerie + Projektraum.

On 10 September, 6–9pm, LiTE-HAUS (Mareschstraße 4, 12055 Berlin) opens "Stone Embroidery – Resilience and Cultural Memory," curated by Marta Pogorila. 🧵 It's the closing event of our project with Молоді Ініціативні (Young Initiatives), which started with an online meeting in May and a hands-on workshop in Berlin in June, at Hotel Continental – Art Space in Exile.

In June, our participants worked with Ielizaveta Ievseieva and Marta Pogorila to cast and decorate concrete replicas of the "Stone Vyshyvankas" of Nova Kakhovka, the stone ornaments Ukrainian artist Hryhorii Dovzhenko carved into the city's facades in the 1950s. Nova Kakhovka is under occupation now, and the Kakhovka Dam's destruction has put that heritage at acute risk. 🏛️ The pieces made that weekend are what's hanging in Berlin, from 10 to 26 September.

If you're in Berlin, come by. 📍

The project is implemented within the framework of the CCP Synergy Program, funded by Ifa - Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen, in cooperation with Молоді ІніціативніМолоді Ініціативні.

Stone Embroidery – Resilience and Cultural Memory ​LiTE-HAUS presents "Stone Embroidery – Resilience and Cultural Memory". The exhibition is the result of a workshop exploring Ukrainian cultural motifs.

Vor 85 Jahren, am 28. August 1941, ordnete Stalin die Deportation der Russlanddeutschen nach Sibirien und Zentralasien an.

Der Erlass löste die Wolgadeutsche Republik auf, wenige Tage später begannen die Transporte. Viele Menschen starben unterwegs oder an den Lebensbedingungen in den Verbannungsorten. Der 28. August ist der Gedenk- und Trauertag für die Opfer der Deportation und der Repressionen.

Unser Kollege Artem Orlov produziert den Podcast „Deutschland: Anleitung zur Montage". Heute früh erscheint dazu eine neue Folge mit Maxim Andreev.

Auf Spotify anhören: https://open.spotify.com/show/0wtBj9JERG0uMfqaP4WBxv

Auch auf Telegram: https://t.me/assemblyDEpodcast