22 September 2026, by Newsroom Editorial Team

Photo: Hamburger Horizons

This year, the “Hamburger Horizonte” event series explores the political, technological, and social aspects of security. From 13 October through 23 November, it will bring together experts from academia, culture, and politics with the Hamburg public.

What gives us a sense of security in a time marked by war and crises? Our sense of security is crucial for social cohesion and for how people perceive their lives and their futures. Hamburg Horizons 2026 explores the political, social, technological, and environmental dimensions of security and asks how we can reconcile protection, freedom, and justice.

From 13 October through 23 November, this event series invites participants to a wide variety of locations throughout the city to present scholarly findings, open political viewpoints and ideas for the future to discussion, and create spaces for dialogue.

Through Hamburg Horizons, the Körber Foundation, the Hamburg Institute for Advanced Study (HIAS), and the University of Hamburg have been bringing together people from the worlds of academia, culture, politics, and civil society for an open exchange with the Hamburg public every year since 2017. Together with institutions such as the German Red Cross, Helmut Schmidt University / University of the Federal Armed Forces Hamburg, DESY, IFSH, GIGA, and NABU Hamburg, they have once again put together a diverse program at unique venues this year.

A total of 41 Hamburg-based scientific and science-communication institutions are contributing 42 events that examine the topic of security and protection from a wide variety of perspectives: ranging from a Senate reception to a pub quiz, interactive workshops and discussions, readings and performances, museum and nature tours, and even an interactive simulation game.

The complete program, registration options, and further information are available at: www.hamburger-horizonte.de

Numerous researchers from the University of Hamburg are actively contributing to the program. The following events will take place at the University of Hamburg as part of “Hamburger Horizonte”:

• 26 October: Panel discussion Security from Below: Protection beyond the State, organized by Prof. Nina Perkowski and colleagues from the DFG PROMISE research group (Language: English), Brief description: What do we do when the state cannot or will not protect us, or has become a threat itself? From mutual aid in the U.S. to protection during the war in Ukraine to self-organization in Kurdistan, people are building security from below. A panel discussion on what security might mean beyond the state.
• 5 November: Lecture for Everyone: Why Are the Nuremberg Trials Still Relevant Today? Brief description: In light of the current geopolitical security situation, Nucleus Professor Ulf Schmidt explores in his Lecture for Everyone at the Curio Haus the question of how and why Nuremberg—more than almost any other event in 20th-century history—has become a symbol of the postwar international order.
• 9 November: Panel Discussion Insecurity in the Climate Crisis: Hope and Action. Brief description: What can help combat powerlessness and stagnation in the climate crisis? Anita Engels and Michael Schnegg from the CLICCS Cluster of Excellence will show how collective organizing and practical hope can drive the climate transition forward. An evening featuring practical tips from research.
• 9 November: Presentations + Panel Discussion + Poster Session Cybersecurity as a Societal Challenge—From Home Networks to KRITIS, organized by Prof. Mathias Fischer, Prof. Hannes Federrath, and a team from the SOVEREIGN and FIPS@Home projects. Brief description: Cyberattacks threaten home networks, organizations, and critical infrastructure—in very different ways. This event will highlight which threats are relevant at which levels, which protective measures are feasible for home networks, and how everyone can contribute to digital security.
• 19 November: Scenario Workshop Solar Climate Engineering—Adaptation to Climate Change or Security Risk?, led by Dr. Delf Rothe and Dr. Benjamin Hofbauer (IFSH/CLICCS). Brief description: The worsening climate crisis is fueling discussions about Solar Climate Engineering (SCE). But is this technology itself a security risk? We will discuss this question in this event in the form of a scenario workshop to better understand SCE’s impact on future climate scenarios from ethical and political perspectives and to situate it between climate adaptation and security risk.

Hamburger Horizons is jointly funded by the Körber Foundation and the University of Hamburg, which uses funds from the federal and state Excellence Strategy for this purpose.

(This content has been translated automatically.)