Sudan Conference to be held June 24–26, 2026, in Friedensau

From June 24 to 26, 2026, Friedensau Adventist University will host a conference on Sudan titled “Diasporic Experiences in Times of War in Sudan.” The conference marks the conclusion of a postdoctoral fellowship awarded by the Philipp Schwartz Initiative of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation for researchers at risk. As part of this program, Dr. Mohamed Bakhit from the University of Khartoum, who has lived and worked at Friedensau Adventist University for the past two years, is collaborating with Prof. Dr. Ulrike Schultz from the university to examine the coping strategies, aspirations, and sense of belonging among Sudanese refugees in Uganda.

Since April 5, 2023, a war has been raging in Sudan between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The war began in Khartoum and then spread to other parts of the country. Many people have been forced to leave Sudan or to live as internally displaced persons in humanitarian centers and refugee camps within the country. The conference will address these processes by examining, on the one hand, the lives of the Sudanese diaspora and their capacity for action, and, on the other hand, exploring how national governments, communities, and international actors are responding. A key focus of the conference is on people’s strategies for action and the negotiation of belonging, as well as on the migration policies of neighboring countries and the EU. These topics will be discussed in seven panels by 30 scholars from Sudan, Ethiopia, Ghana, Uganda, Switzerland, Norway, France, and Germany, among others. In the closing panel, Dr. Bakhit and Prof. Dr. Schultz will present the initial findings of their research in Uganda for discussion. During an evening event, we will screen the film “Khartoum” by filmmaker Gilles de Maistre. On Thursday, June 25, we will conclude the conference with Sudanese music at the Kulturscheune. In addition, the conference serves as a platform for networking as well as for planning publications and future events.

The conference will take place at Friedensau Adventist University, 39291 Möckern-Friedensau, in the Aula (An der Ihle 2), and the Kulturscheune (An der Ihle 10). There is no registration fee. To register or for more information, visit: https://www.thh-friedensau.de/hochschule/forschung/konferenzen/sudan-2026-conference/