vhs – Volkshochschule Frankfurt am Main

VHS – Designing Democracy – Designing Peace

The Volkshochschule Frankfurt am Main (VHS) and the Peace Research Institute Frankfurt (PRIF), invite you to an exciting series of events that explore what design has to do with democracy and peace, and how democracy and peace can be designed in a sustainable way.

With Oxford debates, interactive formats, and barrier-free access, we are creating a lively platform where everyone can have their say and actively participate in shaping our democracy. Join us and bring your ideas and questions!

1st event: “Expect the worst, prepare for the best: Negotiating peace”

Successful peace negotiations in violent conflicts are rare. But how can conflicts be pacified through negotiations, and how can these negotiations be structured in terms of form and content to create the conditions for a successful negotiated peace? What factors make negotiations and their success in the sustainable pacification of a conflict more likely? And what conclusions can be drawn from this for ongoing conflicts such as those in Ukraine or Gaza? Nicole Deitelhoff will speak about the design and potential success of peace negotiations at the start of the “Designing Democracy – Designing Peace” series.

Lecture and discussion with: Prof. Dr. Nicole Deitelhoff (PRIF) and Dr. Stefan Kroll (PRIF)

Outlook: At the next event in April, experts and influencers will discuss the challenges of radicalization in gaming and digital spaces. This will be followed in June by a panel discussion with guests from academia and politics who will debate the shaping of a global democracy.

The event is free of charge.

Next events: 15 April 2026 / 16 June 2026

Founded in 1970 as the Hessian Foundation for Peace and Conflict Research, PRIF can look back on more than 50 years of history. In 2009, the institute was accepted into the Leibniz Association.

As the largest continuing education provider in Hesse, the Frankfurt Adult Education Center brings together more than 60,000 participants annually with around 150 employees, over 1,000 course instructors, and approximately 15,000 courses.