Festival of the Future „Debate & Confidence" Halle

A Stage for Civil Society

While political discourse in Germany is becoming increasingly polarized and resignation is taking hold in many social strata, the Festival of the Future „Debate & Confidence" deliberately aims to set a counter-trend: In June 2026, Halle (Saale) will become a stage for a strong civil society. In the expansive Volkspark Halle, representatives from politics, culture, and the engagement scene will engage in conversation with citizens over two days — not in the form of large frontal lectures, but in talk rounds, workshops, labs, Fuck-Up-Nights, and concerts.

ZEIT Foundation Meets Stiftung Bürger für Bürger

The organizers are the ZEIT Foundation Bucerius from Hamburg and the Stiftung Bürger für Bürger from Halle. The combination is no coincidence: Halle was deliberately chosen as an East German city where political conflicts are currently particularly acute. The festival is explicitly not conceived as a „Berlin talk show in the park", but as a dialogue at eye level with the civil society of Halle and Saxony-Anhalt.

Prominent Guests and Local Voices

Appearances and discussion contributions confirmed include Sandra Maischberger (moderator), Robin Alexander (Welt), Dagmar Rosenfeld (Welt), Jan Plewka (Selig, with band live), and others. Local initiatives, associations, and engaged citizens from Saxony-Anhalt will be present via an initiative mile — showcasing their work, networking, and engaging in dialogue with prominent guests. A „Fuck-Up-Night" is dedicated to failures and the courage to learn from them.

Halle, Volkspark, and Saxony-Anhalt

The Volkspark Halle is one of the oldest and largest parks in the city. As a venue, it offers the mix of green space, stage possibilities, and urban accessibility that an open festival needs. Halle, an independent city in the state of Saxony-Anhalt and the second-largest city in the state after Magdeburg, is a university city with an active student cultural scene and a distinct tradition of civil society engagement. The Festival of the Future builds on this tradition.