On Tuesday, October 20, 2026, at 6:00 p.m., German-Palestinian journalist and author Alena Jabarine will read from her bestselling book *Der letzte Himmel* at the University of Siegen. The event will take place at the Lecture Hall Center on the Unteres Schloss campus (Room US-C 114). Prof. Dr. Mohamed Barakat and Prof. Dr. Friedemann Vogel (University of Siegen) will moderate the evening. Admission is free.
In “The Last Sky: My Search for Palestine,” Alena Jabarine recounts her time in Ramallah, where she moved in early 2020 to understand what “Palestine” means to people on both sides of the wall—and to herself. In her book, she shares stories of love, solidarity, and resistance, of humanity and a zest for life. The book combines personal memories with a sensitive look at everyday life in the shadow of the Middle East conflict and invites readers to understand the reality in Israel and Palestine beyond simplistic explanations.
Alena Jabarine, born in Hamburg in 1985, is German-Palestinian with German and Israeli citizenship. She grew up in Hamburg, studied political science, and completed a journalism internship at NDR. From 2020 to 2022, she lived in Ramallah. Especially since the start of the current war in Gaza, she has been regularly invited as an expert speaker, including at the NATO Defense College in Rome, the Münchner Kammerspiele, and the Berliner Ensemble. She is considered one of the few visible Palestinian voices in the German public discourse.
All interested parties are cordially invited. Registration is not required.
The book featured in the reading, as well as other books on the Middle East, Israel, and Palestine, can be purchased on site at a book table run by the Siegen Bücherkiste.
Date: Tuesday, October 20, 2026, 6:00 p.m.
Location: University of Siegen, Unteres Schloss Campus, Lecture Hall Center, Room US-C 114
Moderators: Prof. Dr. Mohamed Barakat and Prof. Dr. Friedemann Vogel
Admission: Free
Contact: Prof. Dr. Friedemann Vogel, friedemann.vogel@uni-siegen.de
