Conference: 75 years of the Basic Law

The Basic Law is 75 years old - and this in turbulent times. This makes it all the more important to remember the significance of this most important cornerstone of our democracy. We are currently experiencing a number of challenges that make it clear where there are gaps in the case law of the Federal Constitutional Court to date and that the protection of our fundamental rights must continue to develop. With our one-day conference, we would like to give space to this discourse. Whether you are a student or a practitioner, a committed citizen or a connoisseur of fundamental rights - we cordially invite all interested parties to Silent Green in Berlin! Supported by experts from science, civil society and politics, as well as the Federal Agency for Civic Education (bpb) and the Stiftung Forum Recht as cooperation partners, we will look at the Basic Law in the context of today's realities and the future with exciting impulses, discussions, workshops and artistic accompaniment.

Each workshop is dedicated to the demands of a future-proof Basic Law: whether access to justice and legal protection in general; the reduction of structural racism and social inequality; a Basic Law of climate justice or lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic. Together, we want to make the Basic Law fit for the future.

Speakers and moderators at the conference will include

- Natascha Strobl (political scientist)
- Dr. Doris Liebscher (Head of the ombudsman's office for the LADG)
- Dr. Ulf Buermeyer (member of the GFF board) ... and many more!

The event will start with a keynote speech by our Legal Director Bijan Moini and an international opening panel with Natascha Strobl, Prof. Mirosław Wyrzykowski and Prof. Dr. Christoph Möllers. The panelists will discuss how the fundamental values of the Basic Law can be preserved in the future in the face of a shift to the right and crucial upcoming elections. In doing so, we will look at Germany and its neighboring countries. Afterwards, participants can choose between three workshops in the morning. After a joint lunch break, there will be a second round of exciting workshops to choose from. The day will be reflected on artistically over coffee and cake. The conference will end with a closing panel with Dr. Julia Duchrow, Dr. Ulf Buermeyer and Stephan Anpalagan, which will look to the future after a day of stocktaking: How can consent to the rule of law and democracy be strengthened? How can we ensure that people are aware of their fundamental rights and use them confidently? And what role do the media and civil society play when communicating on fundamental rights issues? Afterwards, guests are cordially invited to end the day together.

Program:

---

9:30 am - 10:00 am , Kuppelhalle // Welcome and keynote

speech by Bijan Moini (Lega Director - Gesellschaft für Freiheitsrechte)

10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. , Opening panel:75 years of the Basic Law - (how) can we reach 100?

Speakers: Prof. Mirosław Wyrzykowski (former Polish constitutional judge), Prof. Dr. Christoph Möllers (Humboldt University Berlin), Natascha Strobl (political scientist)

11:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m., coffee break

-

11:30 am - 1:00 pm, Atelier 1 // Covid: Passed the stress test? A review of the protection of fundamental rights during the Covid pandemic

Speakers: Dr. Dirk Behrendt (former Senator of Justice Berlin)

Moderation: Evin Dalkilic (Verfassungsblog)

11:30 am - 1:00 pm, Kuppelhalle // Police laws revisited - of ignorant legislation and long-suffering constitutional courts

Speakers: Dr. Dirk Behrendt (former Senator of Justice Berlin)

Moderation: Evin Dalkilic (Verfassungsblog)

11:30 am - 1:00 pm, Atelier 2 // Some are more equal than others - Workshop Racism

Speakers: Dr. Doris Liebscher (Ombuds Office for Anti-Discrimination), Dr. Elisabeth Kaneza (political scientist and legal scholar), Dr. Sué González Hauck (Helmut Schmidt University)

Moderation: Soraia Da Costa Batista (Society for Civil Liberties)

13:00 - 14:30 Lunch break

-

14:30 - 16:00, Atelier 2 // When fundamental rights protection is denied in Germany - and what strategic process management can (and cannot) do about it

Speakers: Lisa Hahn (WZB), Jutta Gurkmann (Federation of German Consumer Organizations)Moderation: Dr. Philipp Thurn (Society for Civil Liberties)

14:30 - 16:00, Atelier 1 // Rights on Fire: The Basic Law as a path to more climate justice

Speakers: Prof. Dr. Christian Calliess (Free University of Berlin), Dr. Petra Sußner (Humboldt University of Berlin)Moderation: Henrike Lindemann (Green Legal Impact Germany e.V.

14:30 - 16:00, Atelier 2 // Social rights in the Basic Law

Speakers: Michael Windfuhr (Institute for Human Rights), Prof. Dr. Pia Lange (University of Bremen)Moderation: Sarah Lincoln (Society for Civil Liberties)

16:00 - 16:30 Coffee and cake

-

16:30 - 17:00 Artistic reflection of the conference Poetry Recording with Shafia Khawaja and Friedrich Hermann

-

17:30 - 18:30, Fundamental Rights to the People // Freedom, Equality, Hope?

speakers: Julia Duchrow (Amnesty International Germany), Ulf Buermeyer (GFF, State of the Nation), Stephan Anpalagan (author)