Overview: Helmut Schmidt Lecture
Helmut Schmidt is still regarded by many today as a global statesman and thought leader who campaigned for international peace, economic cooperation, democracy and a united Europe. For this reason, the Federal Chancellor Helmut Schmidt Foundation (BKHS) has been honouring its namesake since 2021 by inviting a "thought leader of today" to the annual Helmut Schmidt Lecture.
The lecture deals with a topic that already characterised Helmut Schmidt's life and which has not lost its relevance and topicality to this day. At our first Helmut Schmidt Lecture in 2021, the Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya spoke about "Living Democracy!". In 2022, Hatice Cengiz, human rights activist and fiancée of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, gave a lecture on "Speaking Up!". in 2023, Professor Dr Moritz Schularick gave impulses on "Remaking Globalisation!". in 2024, the topic is "For a just democracy!". The Turkish opposition politician Ekrem İmamoğlu, Lord Mayor of Istanbul since 2019, will speak about the success criteria of functioning democracies.
The BKHS Magazine is published every year as part of the Helmut Schmidt Lecture. Click here for more information.
22.06.2026 | Boris Pistorius
21.11.2024 | Ekrem İmamoğlu
4.12.2023 | Moritz Schularick
10.11.2022 | Hatice Cengiz
10.11.2021 | Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya
BKHS Magazine
Every year, we publish an open access magazine to accompany the lecture, which brings together essays, photo series, statements and prose by established and up-and-coming academics, activists and artists. The BKHS Magazine approaches the theme of the lecture from different angles and places particular emphasis on allowing different voices from around the world to have their say.
10.12.2025 | Strengthening Partner Europe!
21.11.2024 | For a Just Democracy!
4.12.2023 | Remaking Globalisation!
10.11.2022 | Speaking up!
10.11.2021 | Living Democracy!
Aftermovie Helmut Schmidt Lecture 2024
In the midst of the current polycrisis, democracy is under constant threat worldwide. It faces the challenge of right-wing populism and struggles with deep social divisions, economic insecurity, the impact of wars and accelerating climate change. Authoritarian figures are weakening key democratic institutions, norms and processes in their countries, such as the separation of powers, the independence of the judiciary and freedom of the press. In recent years, more and more citizens are willing to oppose these tendencies and take to the streets in favour of democracy.
And just as there are citizens who are prepared to defend democratic values, there are also politicians who are prepared to fight alongside them. One of them is the mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem İmamoğlu, speaker of the Helmut Schmidt Lecture 2024 on the topic "For a Just Democracy!" His commitment to equal rights, civic participation and economic and social development policy at local level shows his strong commitment to democracy and his willingness to stand up to authoritarianism, which is why we can't think of a better speaker for this topic.
Aftermovie Helmut Schmidt Lecture 2023
In the face of intensifying systemic competition, the international community is far from finding solutions together. Multilateral cooperation is declining, global supply chains are being disrupted and diverted. Too often, the weakest along these global supply chains are neglected. But we do not yet see an end to globalisation. As the Federal Chancellor Helmut Schmidt Foundation (BKHS), we are therefore calling for globalisation to be made more socially sustainable and fairer. But how can we achieve this? To get to the bottom of this question, we are dedicating our Helmut Schmidt Lecture 2023 and the third issue of our BKHS Magazine to the topic of "Remaking Globalisation!".
We couldn't think of a better speaker for the Helmut Schmidt Lecture 2023 than Professor Dr Moritz Schularick. He has been President of the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW) since June 2023. He is dedicated to the complex relationship between the economy and the state by breaking down the traditional dogmas of the economy and looking for ways in which the state can actively develop a new, creative economic policy.