Remembering Our Past to Safeguard Our Future: Choosing Democracy Amidst The Current Turmoil

The current political climate is unsettling for many people on both sides of the Atlantic. Dramatic, frighteningly familiar spikes of antisemitism, hatred, and “othering” are mirrored and amplified by exclusionary and divisive political rhetoric. The democracy and the liberal international order built after World War II seem at risk. How do we engage amidst competing inner impulses that might include speaking out, staying safe, waiting for the next shoe to drop or for this moment to just pass? Thanks to cognitive science, we now know that our reactions to current events are often shaped by suffering we may not ourselves have even lived through. In an engaging experiential dialogue, our American-German facilitator will guide us to explore how remembrance informs this current moment and could help us, individually and collectively, shape a better future.

Terry Mandel is a first-generation American who grew up with a Jewish-German mother, aunt, and grandparents who fled Cologne on November 10, 1938. In 2021, Colognian high school student researchers and dedicated archivists began to replace her family’s stoic silence about their past with stories she’d never heard. The profound effect of these revelations prompted her to begin facilitating dialogues around reclaiming the hidden legacies in ourselves, communities, and world. A dual German citizen for nearly 25 years, Terry now lives part-time in NRW and works globally. Prior to launching The Unerasure Projekt, Terry spent her career as a marketing and communications strategist, organization development consultant, and leadership mentor, working with clients in healthcare, technology, and the arts to help them bridge the gaps between their operations and aspirations. She most recently presented at the Jawne and the 2024 Deutsche Welle Global Media Forum.

Seats are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. We kindly ask you to only reserve the number of seats that you will definitely use.
This event will be held in English.