Frankfurt Calling 2025 – Perspectives on Culture and Politics
Frankfurter Buchmesse - providing a stage for global dialogue
For over 75 years, Frankfurter Buchmesse (15-19 October 2025) has been a place where the pressing issues of the day are discussed. It is a seismograph for cultural and political developments: cultural figures, authors, journalists, politicians, scientists and activists come together here to exchange perspectives – beyond national and cultural boundaries. With “Frankfurt Calling – Perspectives on Culture and Politics”, the fair creates a resonance chamber for social debates that extend far beyond the book market. Throughout the entire week of the fair, Frankfurt Calling offers over 50 events on several central stages – most notably on the new Centre Stage in Hall 4.1.
“In times of social polarisation and intensifying geopolitical conflicts, we need spaces for dialogue across borders. Frankfurt Calling brings together voices from many countries to jointly develop solutions to the challenges of our time,” says John Steinmark, Programme Manager Frankfurt Calling.
Key topics:
Literature and crisis regions
Voices from and about Gaza, Ukraine and Southeast Asia: literature that documents and reflects on conflicts and opens up new perspectives.
Human rights and freedom of expression
Freedom to publish, protection of cultural forms of expression, investigative work under repression, debates on anti-Semitism.
Democracy under pressure
Authoritarianism, populism – and the important role of culture in resisting them.
Social cohesion
Dialogue formats for understanding and participation in an age of growing polarisation.
New technologies – new challenges Opportunities and risks from artificial intelligence for life, work and society.
Speakers:
Guests include Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa, former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, publicist Hadija Haruna-Oelker, author Tomer Dotan-Dreyfus, author and cultural scientist Mithu Sanyal, Palestinian bookseller Mahmoud Muna, Middle East expert Matthew Teller, Ukrainian bookseller Oleksii Erinchak, Cuban exile poet Ariel Maceo Tellez, author Joana Osman, Federal Minister of Justice Dr Stefanie Hubig, economic historian Prof. Dr. Adam Tooze, Turkish author Ege Dündar, Ukrainian-Palestinian storyteller Zoya Miyari, author and presenter Alena Jabarine, cultural scientist and rapper Dr. Reyhan Şahin, director of the Anne Frank Educational Centre Prof. Dr. Meron Mendel and Nobel Peace Prize winner Prof. Dr. Irina Scherbakowa.
Also appearing on stage will be Saba-Nur Cheema, Sarah Levy, Karl Schlögel, Delphine Minoui, Robert Trafford, David Schraven, Jürgen Kaube, Daniel Marwecki, Caroline Wahl, Johannes Ebert, Sherif Rizkallah, Szczepan Twardoch and Aladin El-Mafaalani.
Partners:
Frankfurt Calling is organised in collaboration with a broad international network. Cooperation partners include Amnesty International, Berlin Review, the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM), the Anne Frank Educational Centre, the German Publishers and Booksellers Association, CORRECTIV, DER FREITAG, Forensic Architecture, the European and International Booksellers Federation, the Goethe-Institut, the Philippines as Guest of Honour at this year's book fair, the Institut français, the International Publishers Association, the Kreuzberg Initiative against Anti-Semitism, PEN Berlin, PEN International, PEN Centre Germany, People of Germany, PublisHer, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Surplus – Das Wirtschaftsmagazin, taz, the Ukrainian Book Institute, UN Publications, UN Women, World Design Capital Frankfurt RheinMain 2026, World Expression Forum, ZEIT Stiftung Bucerius and Zukunft Memorial.
More information: www.buchmesse.de/en/frankfurtcalling