“Brücken, Brüche und Bündnisse: Was unsere deutsch-türkische Beziehung in die Zukunft trägt” (“Bridges, rifts and alliances: What will shape our German-Turkish relationship in the future”)
Lecture to mark German Unity Day, featuring
Hatice Akyün
Journalist & author
October 3 2026, 11 pm, Aula of the Osnabrück Castle
Relations between Turkey and Germany are complex: they are characterised by close economic ties, strategic NATO interests and deep social bonds forged by the millions of people of Turkish origin living in Germany. At the same time, political differences, the human rights situation, repression of the opposition in Turkey and the direction of Turkish domestic policy have repeatedly strained the relationship. Due to geopolitical challenges, the energy crisis and migration agreements (such as the EU-Turkey refugee deal), both countries are dependent on one another, and Turkey is increasingly returning to the forefront of German foreign policy as a geostrategic partner.
This year’s keynote address at the Peace Talks, delivered by the award-winning journalist, columnist and author Hatice Akyün, will focus on the multifaceted Turkish-German relations since German reunification. Her award-winning articles have appeared in publications including Der Spiegel, Die Zeit and Der Tagesspiegel, where she wrote a column for eleven years. Her books Einmal Hans mit scharfer Soße, Ali zum Dessert and Ich küss dich, Kismet are well-known bestsellers.
Hatice Akyün is one of the leading voices in the German debate on integration and is regarded as a sought-after expert on social, cultural and political developments relating to Turkey, as well as on German-Turkish relations. Her focus is on socio-political issues surrounding integration and diversity – in doing so, she dissects with analytical precision the clichés that still prevail and shape the integration debate in Germany.
The Berlin Senate Department for Integration and Migration awarded Hatice Akyün the Integration Prize for her journalistic work. She has also been honoured with the Dietrich Oppenberg Media Prize and the German Libraries’ Journalism Prize. Furthermore, she received the prestigious Theodor Wolff Prize for her highly acclaimed article Raus aus der Manege.