Buenos Aires celebrates Hannah Arendt with a gathering of philosophy, art, and politics.

For four days in September, Buenos Aires will host an unprecedented intellectual and artistic tribute : the Hannah Arendt Conference: From Exile to Post-Truth , organized by the Goethe-Institut and the Walter Benjamin Free Chair (DAAD), which invites us to rediscover the relevance of the thought of one of the most challenging figures of the 20th century . The event will take place from September 4 to 7 at the Cultural San Martín, with free admission.

The conference commemorates the 50th anniversary of the death of Hannah Arendt (1906-1975), a philosopher and political theorist who was known for disturbing both academic institutions and the establishment. Her legacy—focusing on themes such as totalitarianism, exile, the banality of evil, and the human condition —will be addressed in an agenda that includes talks, lectures, films, performances, and panel discussions.

The event is also part of the official calendar commemorating 200 years of friendship between Germany and Argentina , and is sponsored by Ñ Magazine and supported by the San Martín Cultural Center.

A German philosopher of Jewish origin, Hannah Arendt (1906–1975) was one of the most provocative intellectuals of her time . An exile from Nazism and later an American citizen, her work encompassed themes such as totalitarianism, the banality of evil, freedom, the human condition, and moral judgment. Arendt troubled both regimes and academic institutions with her thinking that transcended categories and disciplines.

Half a century after her death, Arendt continues to challenge the present. What does the banality of evil mean today in the age of algorithms? How should we think about exile in a globalized world? Can her thought shed light on the dilemmas of artificial intelligence, transitional justice, or climate collapse? These are some of the questions that will permeate the program.

"The event proposes immersing ourselves in Arendt's complex universe to discover its impact on thought, culture, and art, and to explore new ways of transforming our unsettling present," explain the organizers.

Below is a selection of five must-do activities that sum up the power and diversity of the program:

German philosopher Thomas Meyer, author of a monumental intellectual biography of Hannah Arendt recently published in Spanish by Anagrama, will offer a public interview on his first visit to Argentina. A specialist in Arendt's thought, Meyer will discuss the core themes of her work, the connection between theory and practice in Arendt's life, and his edition of the 12 volumes of her writings. He will also discuss the prologue he wrote for the reissue of the book "On Palestine." This will be a unique opportunity to hear from one of the most authoritative voices on the philosopher.

How can we rethink the human condition in the age of artificial intelligence? This lecture explores how Arendt's concepts interrelate with the current technical framework, the commodification of humanity, and the risks of global dehumanization. Martínez proposes looking at current events from Arendtian perspectives to analyze new forms of governance, surveillance, and the erosion of the commons.

Drawing on Arendt's ideas about the public and private spheres, this provocative talk poses a counterfactual exercise: would you use a messaging app like WhatsApp today? Mönig uses this resource to show how the philosopher's thinking remains a critical tool for debating the limits of exposure, intimacy, and digital communication.

This performance piece, commissioned by the Goethe-Institut, delves into Arendt's thought to bring it to the present in a stage format. Using documentary materials, text fragments, and elements of symbolic translation, the artists engage with Arendt's legacy through the body and words. A sensorial experience to rethink politics from the stage.

This panel brings together representatives from foundations such as Konrad Adenauer, Friedrich Ebert, Rosa Luxemburg, and Friedrich Naumann to discuss the multiple meanings that Arendt's figure acquires from different ideological currents. Can the same work be appropriated by such diverse actors? A conversation about the richness and complexity of her political thought.

The Hannah Arendt Conference is designed as a space for reflection, the intersection of disciplines, and the meeting of diverse audiences: from specialists to students, from artists to citizens eager to understand the present. Registration is not required for activities, except for some screenings and performances, for which tickets can be picked up two hours beforehand at the box office.

In times of confusion, relativism, and extreme discourse, returning to Arendt also means asking ourselves again about the meaning of politics, truth, and our life together.