Open House at the DAI Heidelberg – Celebrating 80 Years!

Festival & Opening Reception
Sunday, July 12, 2026, 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., doors open at 1:30 p.m.

80 Years of DAI Heidelberg—we’d like to celebrate this milestone with you all!

Since 1946, the DAI has been a central hub for encounters, exchange, and democratic education. Founded as the “Amerikahaus” in the postwar period, it has evolved into an open space for culture, scholarship, language, and social dialogue.

To mark this anniversary, we’re opening our doors to everyone who knows the DAI, wants to rediscover it, or simply wants to spend a very special afternoon in an inspiring and relaxed atmosphere.

Starting at 2:00 p.m., a diverse program at the DAI Open House invites you to join in and participate. The duo HAWA MUPO will kick things off with live music. The Edelstein dance orchestra, featuring ten young musicians, will take you on a journey through American music, from swing to the present day. Join in the fun with line dance sessions; the art exhibition by students of the HPC International School offers answers to the question “What does democracy mean to you?”; and the Heidelberg Literature Scouts will share fresh book recommendations. Creative activities, games, a quiz, and—last but not least—our exhibition “80 Years of Encounters,” featuring the Wall of History, the Wall of Fame, and an audio journey through the DAI’s decades, are all waiting to be discovered throughout the building.

Together with you, we would like to look back on eight eventful decades full of encounters and, at the same time, celebrate the future: a future shaped by openness, curiosity, and cultural exchange.

We look forward to seeing many familiar and new faces and to an unforgettable day!

At 6:00 p.m., a discussion between Member of the Bundestag Metin Hakverdi and journalist Christoph von Marschall will take place in the main hall on the topic “And Now? The West After the Turning Point.” Admission is free.