Sudan Conference Brings Diaspora Voices to Friedensau

On the 24^th-26^th of June 2026 the “Diasporic Experiences in Time of War in Sudan: Transformation of Belonging, Livelihoods and Citizenship” conference was held in Friedensau, organized through its School of Social Sciences. It marked the conclusion of a postdoctoral fellowship funded by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation's Philipp Schwartz Initiative, which supports academics at risk. For the university's social sciences programmes, the event offered a valuable learning experience bringing students and faculty into direct engagement with current research on forced migration and the Sudanese diaspora. There were around 40 participants, including several Friedensau students and faculty staff members.

Over three days, around 30 scholars both online and offline from different countries came together across seven panels to share research on the Sudanese diaspora. Discussions ranged from how Sudanese communities are rebuilding social security, business, and education networks outside state structures, to how neighbouring countries like Uganda, Egypt, and Ethiopia as well as the EU are responding to the refugee crisis. Other sessions explored what it means to navigate life as a refugee for a second or third time, the role documentation and paperwork play in shaping identity and citizenship, and how international refugee policy is shaping the everyday experiences of displaced Sudanese. In the closing panel, Dr. Mohamed Bakhit and Prof. Dr. Ulrike Schultz presented initial findings from their two-year research project on Sudanese refugees in Uganda the very fellowship the conference was held to conclude.

“I really enjoyed the Khartoum documentary shown during one of the sessions,” said one participant, who also presented their own research at the conference. As a presenter, they said they were glad to have received constructive feedback on their research and to have had the chance to meet numerous scholars working in the same field, making connections that opened the door to future collaboration.

The conference was not only a space for academic exchange, it was also a space for community. A shared dinner featured live Sudanese music from a Sudanese band. Over lunch and tea breaks, conversations continued informally, with scholars from different countries and fields exchanging ideas and building connections beyond the panel discussions.

As the conference marked the close of a two-year research fellowship, it also pointed ahead. Participants spoke of continuing the conversations started across the seven panels, with several scholars expressing interest in joint publications and collaborative research. For Friedensau's School of Social Sciences, the conference leaves behind a network of new connections with scholars around the world and a stronger commitment to research on forced migration. The findings from the fellowship will continue to shape future research and conversations on the Sudanese diaspora.