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Frankfurt Calling – Perspectives on Culture and Politics

Our cultural-political programme features thought leaders from all over the world, discussing the most important issues and topics of our time – throughout the entire week of the fair and on various stages.

Panelisten auf der Bühne in einem Gespräch.

Around 230,000 people from over 90 countries converge at Frankfurter Buchmesse every year. It’s where they engage with the profound issues of our time in myriad ways – as authors, translators, agents, publishers, journalists and many other roles. Frankfurter Buchmesse is one of the world’s most important trading hubs for content. It is also becoming a key platform for discussing the pressing challenges of world affairs and current events.

Frankfurt Calling promotes this global dialogue, putting it centre stage, literally. Plus, it offers space and a framework for ongoing active development. It’s a place for debates, lectures and discussions with intellectual depth. It’s a place for diverse international perspectives in the fields of politics, culture and the arts.

The majority of the programme will take place on the new Centre Stage in Hall 4.1.

Event highlights on 15 October 2025

EventwithModerationOrganizer
LITERATUR HEUTE — KANN DAS WEG?Helge Malchow, Mithu Sanyal, Felicitas Hoppe and Marko MartinThea DornPEN Berlin
Women in Publishing: Glass ceilings and paper wallsElisa Fernandez Saenz, Gvantsa Jobava, Barbara Budrich, Marta Martínez and Nazlı Berivan AkRachel MartinUN Women Regional Office
for Europe and Central Asia
Bookselling in times of warMahmoud Muna, Oleksii Erinchak and Vanessa MartiniErin CoxFrankfurter Buchmesse in cooperation with European and International Booksellers Federation

Event highlights on 16 October 2025

EventwithModerationOrganizer
The Hof Live: AI and the battle for realityMelissa Fleming, Davar Ardalan and Harsh Jegadeesan Felix ZeltnerFrankfurter Buchmesse
The future of writing and free expression: the new Young Writers Committee at PEN InternationalNedim Türfent and Zoya MiyariEge DündarPEN International

Event highlights on 17 October 2025

EventwithModerationOrganizer
Frauen und WiderstandUlli Lust und Delphine MinouiShila BehjatInstitut Francais
Daybreak in Gaza - Humanising Palestinian lives and safeguarding Palestinian cultureMahmoud Muna and Matthew TellerAlena JabarineFrankfurter Buchmesse
Täuschend echt: Deepfakes – Auswege im Kampf um die WirklichkeitDr. Eckart von Hirschhausen und Dr. Stefanie HubigDr. Stefanie HubigBörsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels
Sicherheitspolitik und Menschenrechte – Handlungsspielräume in Zeiten von Krieg und KrisenMaria Ressa and Jens StoltenbergSebastian PuschnerDER FREITAG
Echo und Evidenz: Menschenrechts-Recherchen in der Krise der ÖffentlichkeitMarija Ristic (Researcher/Manager, Crisis Response Programme Amnesty International) and Robert Trafford (Forensic Architecture)Christoffer HorlitzAmnesty International
Deutschland, deine Staatsräson – was jetzt?Daniel Marwecki and Jürgen KaubeTobias HaberkornBerlin Review

Event highlights on 18 October 2025

EventwithModerationOrganizer
Ökonomie der Zukunft: Wie kann die Klimawende gelingen?Adam Tooze and Lukas ScholleKristin LangenSurplus
Das Ringen um VerständigungSarah Levy and Joana OsmanSaba-Nur Cheema and Prof. Dr. Meron MendelBildungsstätte Anne Frank e.V.
Wessen Wahrheit zählt?Aladin El-MafaalaniHelga Frese-ReschIG Meinungsfreiheit des Börsenvereins des Deutschen Buchhandels in cooperation with ZEIT Stiftung Bucerius

Event highlights on 19 October 2025

EventwithModerationOrganizer
Wie funktioniert gemeinwohlorientierter Journalismus?David Schraven, Caroline Lindekamp and Justus von DanielsDagmar HovestädtCORRECTIV.Verlag
Diskurs unter Druck – Antisemitismus zwischen autoritärer Instrumentalisierung und gelebter VerantwortungHadija Haruna-Oelker, Tomer Dotan-Dreyfus and Paula ZimmermannElsa KoesterDER FREITAG in cooperation with Amnesty
International and Transnationale Demokratie
Null: Gebrochene Linien des KriegesSzczepan Twardoch, Olaf Kühl and Artem ChapayeFranziska DaviesGI Ukraine, Ukraine Institut, Mystetskyj Arsenal, Ukraine Buchinstitut
Zwischen Bedrohung und WiderstandDr. Reyhan Şahin aka Lady Bitch Ray, Musikmanager and Ex-Sony-CEO Patrick Mushatsi-Kareba and co-editor and BBDO-CEO Simon UsifoContent Creator und Lehrerin Hannah AbdullahPeople of Deutschland
Spur und Abweg – Gespräch & Live-RapKurt Tallert aka Retrogott and Hulk HodnJohn SteinmarkFrankfurter Buchmesse
6 children laughing

Frankfurt Kids Conference 2025

Be there when the Frankfurt Kids Conference kicks off on 15 October 2025. This year’s focus will be “Children’s Books in a Fragile World”, such as current challenges and dangers for children’s books and their publishers. Look forward to an inspiring keynote presentation by the beloved illustrator Axel Scheffler as well as engaging discussions with other experts and industry personalities.

Go to Frankfurt Kids Conference

These were the events at Frankfurt Calling at #fbm24:

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Impressions from the cultural-political programme