Green Tea Morning - Who Belongs?

India has long been described as one of the world’s most diverse democracies, built on the promise that people of different religions, castes, languages, and identities can coexist with equal rights. Yet majoritarian politics, social inequality, and shrinking civic space have raised questions about the future of pluralism. Looking at India through the experiences of women and marginalized communities - including Dalits, religious minorities, LGBTQ+ people, and sex workers - offers a powerful lens to understand how democracy is experienced in everyday life. This conversation explores how pluralism is being challenged, how it is defended, and what forms of solidarity are still possible across differences.

Speaker:

• Shubha Chacko, Founding Executive Director of Solidarity Foundation, an NGO that supports grassroots organizations led by gender and sexual minorities (LGBTIQ+) and sex workers

Guiding questions

1. How do women and marginalized communities experience pluralism in India today, and what does this reveal about the broader health of democracy?
2. In a context of growing polarization, what challenges - and possibilities - exist for building solidarity across lines of caste, religion, gender, and sexuality?
3. What are potential difficulties for a cross movement dialogue (including issues within movements and issues around funding).
4. What lessons might India’s debates on belonging and pluralism offer for an increasingly polarised Germany?

Reading: Embodied Solidarity: Finding Hope and Power in a Divided World

Contact: 
Felix Speidel
Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung
E felix.speidel@boell.de

» Participation on site
at the the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Conference Center, Schumannstr. 8, 10117 Berlin

Please register. Unfortunately, the number of places is limited. If the room capacity is exhausted, we will broadcast the event via video to other rooms. Please note that there is no guarantee of a place in the hall.

Accessing our building

• The entrance to our building is wheelchair-friendly.
• The front entrance is equipped with an accessible intercom system.
• A parking spot for disabled persons can be provided upon request.
• Our event space is on the first floor (US: second floor).
• The building is equipped with an elevator.
• Accessible toilets / bathrooms are available on the ground floor level.

Wheelchair spaces
In our event spaces we provide dedicated spots for wheelchair users. All tables come with a wheelchair clearance.

For further questions please contact our event staff.
Further information on accessibility can be found here.