Berlin Stories

Lilipad volunteering evening

Lilipad is a German-Moroccan nonprofit organisation providing educational resources and safe, creative spaces for children at high risk of social exclusion. Founded in 2017 in Berlin, the organisation focuses on children at the highest risk of marginalisation, particularly those affected by displacement, poverty or stigma. On 26 March, Lilipad hosts an evening gathering to learn more about their work and ways to get involved. The event will take place at Scaling Spaces – Curvy Campus Berlin from 18:30 - 21:30. Register here. You can also support their crowdfunding campaign here.

International Day of solidarity with Cuba 

In light of US President Donald Trump’s continued aggression toward Cuba, the activist group Progressive International is organising Nuestra América Convoy to Cuba, dedicated to delivering critical humanitarian aid and standing in solidarity with the Cuban people. On March 21, as this Convoy makes its way into Havana, supporters are encouraged to gather in front of local US embassies as part of the International Day of Solidarity with Cuba, a global movement. Learn more about how to get involved here. 

Nowruz soli event 

March 21 marks Nowruz, the Persian New Year and the start of spring 2026. The holiday is an ancient celebration of life, rebirth, and the triumph of light over darkness, dating back over 3,000 years. 

In Berlin, AFG Activist Collective hosts a Nowruz Soli event at Studio DB, standing with the people of Iran, gathering as symbolic resistance with those who are trapped inside war-zones and borders. All funds raised on this day will be donated toward those directly affected by war and displacement, including the relocation of a family in Afghanistan. There will be an art auction with works from over 30 artists, as well as DJ sets and live performances. Berlin’s Nowruz Soli is moderated by political scientist Natascha Anahita and dancer Saeed Asadsangabi. Persian food will also be served. Doors from 18:00 at Studio DB, Uferstrasse 8-11, Studio A14  13357. More info here. 

Tenses of Presence panel discussion 

This Friday, 21 March, Spore Initiative hosts Tenses of Presence, where the Gazan authors behind Indicia's zine issue discuss their approaches to documenting and imagining Gaza. The panel explores what it means to archive a place while it's being erased and features Shahd Alnaami, Shahd Alnaouq, Taqwa Ahmed Al-Wawi, and Ahmad Elkhuwaja.  Together, they have created experimental works through "grounded imagination", a practice that questions how we might imagine Gaza and other areas of erasure through alternative timelines, non-human perspectives, and the voices of land. The panel will be moderated by Abir Kopty, who hopes to question best practices for archiving as a form of collective resistance. Doors from 18:00-21:00 at Spore Initiative, Hermannstraße 86, Neukölln. More into here. 

World Water Day @the Spree 

Sunday, 22 March, is the International Day of Water. On this day, Catoalagua holds a community event to connect with our local Spree and raise love and care for water worldwide. The gathering will start at 10:30 and go until 13:30, with programming that includes live Cumbé, a traditional music from Colombian, African, and European indigenous cultures, as well as offerings, rituals to nature, and a guided eco-somatic practice.  For those who would like to offer something as part of the programming, reach out to the organiser here.  More info here. 

Masafer Yatta Solidarity open call for remote workers

Masafer Yatta Solidarity is an organisation that deploys activists in the West Bank of Palestine, working with local communities to provide unarmed civilian protection and document human rights abuses. They are urgently seeking remote workers in graphic design, video editing, social media, and outreach to join the team. If you are interested, please apply via my-sa.org through the contact form. More info here. 

Gaza healthcare fundraiser 

Head to Sputnik Kino this Friday, 20 March, to help raise funds for healthcare in Gaza. As the blockade of medical aid continues, the toll it takes on Gazans and their medical professionals continues. The program features a panel discussion moderated by Gesuntheit4Gaza with healthcare professionals, including Dr Jasser Abu-Jamei, the director of the Gaza Community Mental Health Program, and Diana Nezo, a surgeon who served in Gaza last year. Together, they will discuss the destroyed healthcare system in Gaza and its psychological impacts on local medics as well as the reality of providing aid when hospitals remain targeted, and international aid is blocked. 

Overall, the panel aims to explore how we might remain resilient amidst times of genocide, and to ask how mental and physical healthcare can be sustained. In addition to the conversation, there will be a screening of the Oscar-nominated film Voices of Hind Rajab. A movie which sheds specific light upon the lived impacts of the systemic destruction of the Gaza humanitarian and healthcare systems. All funds raised will directly support medical students in Egypt who will return to Gaza upon graduating to provide urgent medical aid. If you are unable to attend but would like to contribute to the cause, donate here. Sputnik Kino is located at Hofe am Sudstern 3, 10967. More info here.

Witnessing Sound: an ethical listening evening of black diasporic memories

On March 28, Jaxx TMS curates Witnessing Sound – Caribbean & Black Atlantic Archives with ROSEFRONT. To take place at the Rosegarden, the listening session invites reflections on Black Diasporic memories through a sonic journey of rhythms across the Caribbean transatlantic histories. The line-up includes the founder of Soul Connection, Lovie Dj, who blends slow-groove disco, ’70s funk, ’80s jazz, bedroom pop, and cosmic sounds, and Nicholas Daley, whose Jamaican-British roots inspire his soundscapes to explore the lines between authenticity and diasporic identity. Music historian DJ Amir will moderate the session at Rose Garten — Potsdamerstraße 98A. Doors open at 18:30. More info here.

A Taste of Solidarity Conference & Fundraiser

Head to Markethalle Neun this Sunday, 22 March A Taste of Solidarity, a day of food, crafts, panel talks, workshops, and film screenings. All proceeds will go toward raising funds for Medico International—an organisation that works with local communities to fight against structural causes of poverty, Bana for Peace—a feminist network empowering women from marginalised communities in Sudan, and Lemontree Collective—a humanitarian aid organisation supporting communities in Palestine and Syria. Impact of occupation, the apartheid system, and displacement. A multi-panel conference runs all day: Media and Power, the historical origins of Zionism, and more, with speakers Palestinian food blogger Amin Rjoob, cultural activist Nicky Böhm, and author Emilia Roig. See the full program here. 

4Q4 Error: Creativity in Nightlife Klubnacht

This Friday, 10 collectives come together at Kater Blau for Night Mode, a night of queer joy. The evening is curated by 4Q4,  a queer collective in Berlin that derives its name from the digital glitch “404 Error – Page Not Found”, reflecting its essence of making space for other ways of being in times of systemic glitches. The event walks the borders of rave and reflection, art and play, and creative resistance to imagine alternative realities by jamming across art and music. There will be 3 dance floors featuring DJs spanning the genre spectrum, including an open-deck lineup of up-and-coming artists, as well as live painting by Maxwell Russo, spoken-word performances, and workshops. More info here. 

Ulm 5 panel talk & fundraiser for Gaza 

Join Ulm 5, who is due on trial this Spring, for their presentation and panel discussion at Jockel. The Ulm 5 and their family members from the UK and Ireland will join Berlin-based attorneys to discuss their pre-trial detention since September 2025 as a result of their activism against Elbit Systems and its role in the Gaza crisis. The session will cover the prisoners' mistreatment, ways to show solidarity, and what to expect in the coming months as the court hears their case. Going from 11:00 to 18:00, there will also be a market featuring Palestinian crafts, food, and other activities. All funds raised for this event will support the medical system in Gaza. The discussions will be in English, with translation to Arabic or German available upon request. The venue is located at Ratiborstraße 14C and is wheelchair accessible. More info here. 

Li Beirut fundraiser

On March 26th, Spore will host a fundraiser to support displaced refugees and migrant workers in Lebanon. Funds raised during the event will benefit Association Makani, Syrian Eyes, and Egna Legna Besidet, organisations dedicated to providing essential assistance in Lebanon.  The evening will feature live music, a variety of food, film screenings, and a bazaar to raise funds in support of those affected by the ongoing crisis. For those who would like to contribute to the programming, reach out here. Look to this resource page for other ways to support Lebanon right now.  Doors from 18:00 at Spore Initiative, Hermanstrasse 86. More info here. 

Help trans sisters in South Sudan (urgent medical care)

Support Hwn and her sisters, a resilient group of six trans women from Uganda who have been forced to flee their homeland and are currently facing unimaginable challenges in the Gorom refugee camp in South Sudan. Kandakat4Sudan, a non-profit aid organisation, has been in contact with the women for some months, and there is now an urgent need, as one of Hwn's sisters requires immediate medical attention. While a fundraising campaign in Berlin helped to cover initial costs, the women still require at least 1500€ to cover costs for the urgent care needed. Donate and share here.

Caring Histories: Asian caregivers in Berlin exhibition opening

Mental Health Arts Space welcomes the opening of its exhibition, Caring Histories: Asian Caregivers in Berlin - Migration, Memory and Social Change, which explores the lived stories of Asian caregivers from Korea, Vietnam, and the Philippines who have shaped Berlin's healthcare system since 1950. The show seeks to deconstruct Western models of health, shifting toward an alternative model of community, solidarity, and care. Through exhibitions, workshops, and community events, "Caring Histories" aims to highlight the importance of these caregivers in Berlin’s history while fostering dialogue around care and solidarity within migrant communities. The gallery will remain open until the end of Apr, on Thursdays to Saturdays from 16:00 to 19, at Kaiserdamm 109, 14057. More info here. 

Studio 1210 open call 

Studio 1210, a community-oriented music studio in Berlin, is looking for artists and music creatives to participate in their new collaborative project as a part of their exploration of new ways to fund the creative process by shifting financial support from artists to their audiences. By installing a fly-on-the-wall CCTV system, Studio 1210 will stream activities like jams, collaborations, and workshops to “gatebreak” in arts education and make the arts more accessible, allowing others to witness the live creative process. The project goal is to foster an environment where musicians can collaborate and share their journeys, emphasising the value of artistic exploration over the final product. Find out more here. 

---

Photos courtesy of Maxwell Russo, Lilipad, and Sonido Sur.

Send us your stories via discord or editorial@refugeworldwide.com.