The Centre for Fundamental Rights and the Resist and Act Collective (RAC) established by Hertie School students co-hosted a panel discussion with activists working closely with migrants.
On 14 May, in an intimate setting with Hertie School students and faculty, frontline activists Eva Beyer (Kabul Luftbrücke), Ruben Neugebauer (Sea-Watch e.V.), and Levin Schmidt (Project Elpida) offered firsthand insights from their work supporting migrants and displaced people by air, land, and sea. The discussion was moderated by Professor Violeta Moreno-Lax, Visiting Professor at the Hertie School and a leading voice on EU migration policy and resistance practices.
The conversation was frank, urgent, and deeply personal. Panellists spoke about the challenges of working in increasingly hostile political environments, navigating legal and logistical roadblocks, and the emotional toll of bearing witness to human suffering. Despite these difficulties, their message was one of radical hope: "Get creative, go with your craziest ideas, and don’t give up."
The discussion repeatedly highlighted a central insight: in the face of state inaction or obstruction, civil society consistently steps up. The panel underscored the crucial role of grassroots initiatives in advocating for the protection of human rights and offering solidarity in action.
