Heidelberg is celebrating 20 years of cultural diversity – be there at Karlstorbahnhof!

Heidelberg is celebrating 20 years of cultural diversity – be there at Karlstorbahnhof!

On July 10, 2025, the city of Heidelberg will celebrate cultural diversity with a colorful program. The occasion is the 20th anniversary of the “UNESCO Convention on the Diversity of Cultural Expressions”, which promotes freedom of art and culture and access to cultural content worldwide. An anniversary celebration in Karlstorbahnhof, which will take place on Sunday, July 27, 2025, from 6:30 p.m., awaits visitors with numerous artistic contributions. Admission begins at 6 p.m., informs [MRN-News](https://www.mrn-news.de/2025/07/09/heidelberg-vielfaeltiges-schaufenster-der-heidelberger-kulturlandschaft-im-karlstorbahnhof- Feier-zu-20-jaehrIGEN-begehen-der-unesco-konvention-fuer-kultur-landschaft-2-592936/).

In 2014, the city of Heidelberg was the first German “City of Literature” to be included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, which now includes 350 cities in over 100 countries. This network promotes international cooperation and sees culture as a motor for sustainable urban development. This explains the city's strategy to present cultural diversity beyond the literary sector.

A kaleidoscope of culture

The anniversary festival will show many facets of the Heidelberg cultural scene, with interdisciplinary formats that combine literature with dance, music and film. Artists from over 160 nations who live in Heidelberg contribute their talents. The musician Brahima Diabate will enchant the audience with his ballaphone, while Philipp Herold will be accompanied by young people with a dance. The poet Ralph Dutli and the Taiwanese poet Tai Ouan Chan also contribute to cultural diversity. A traditional dance from Pakistan will be presented by Amna Mawaz Kahn while Ustad Ghulam Shabbir Khan Gullu will perform Sufi music. Finally, Zaki Nasari and Yuüsüf Nasari round off the event with Afghan sounds.

After the festival, a U-dance party will take place at Karlstorbahnhof, which will continue the cultural exchange in a cheerful way. For the full program, the website will be accessible from July 5, 2025, and seat reservations will be made via email to kulturamt@heidelberg.de.

A celebration of diversity

As part of the celebrations, the African market will also take place on July 5th and 6th, 2025. Ramde Harouna from Burkina Faso presents cultural expressions of his homeland. Another highlight is a panel discussion on July 6th at 1 p.m. in which Ramde Harouna will be joined by Dr. Andrea Edel, head of the cultural office, will discuss the cooperation between Heidelberg and Ouagadougou.

The UNESCO Convention is a crucial step in supporting artists worldwide and was initiated to emphasize the importance of cultural diversity in an increasingly globalized world. In this context, the effect of culture as an interface for social issues such as poverty and migration becomes clear, so that not only art and creativity are in the foreground, but also dialogue and inclusion are promoted.

The expectations for the cultural events in Heidelberg are high. With creative initiatives and a strong network, the city is ideally equipped to demonstrate its role as a pioneer in the area of ​​cultural diversity and, together with its citizens, to create a colorful, inclusive celebration that appeals to all the senses. The UNESCO Creative Cities Network contributes to the visibility of cultural actors and motivates cities to pursue creative approaches to strengthen their identity.

The city of Heidelberg offers everyone who would like to take part in the celebration the opportunity to reserve places by email. What's important here is not just a look at the diversity of cultures, but also a beautiful togetherness that needs to be experienced.