The motto for re:publica 26

Times are tough. Four minutes into any small talk, conversations now inherently turn to war, antisemitism, AfD, online hate, Trump, climate change or the uptick in openly stated racism.

In times in which algorithms shape opinions, platforms make policy, attention has become a currency, and artificial intelligence increasingly shapes our reality, we need an alternative: an appeal to uphold the idea of a solidarity-based community, and a cry to not allow ourselves to be set against one another.

For it is precisely this division that threatens our democracy – and we're never gonna give up on democracy, any more than we're gonna give up freedom of the press or any of the other freedoms guaranteed by the rule of law. Not the idea of an open net. Not the hope for digital justice. Nor the vision that technology belongs to everyone – and not just to the powerful few. And that we can shape tech accordingly.

‘Never gonna give you up’ is not only the motto of re:publica 26 – we also see it as an attitude: as a full commitment for tomorrow and a reminder of yesterday. Back to the beginnings of Web 2.0 and the fact that we once enjoyed this internet, an internet where we were able to disagree and still respect each other.

‘Never gonna give you up’ is more than a nostalgic pop song or a funny meme. It is a reminder of why it is worth standing up for pluralism, participation and humanity. 

Never gonna let you down...

re:publica 2026 invites you to not give up (on each other), to reclaim the internet and to shape our future. With courage, hope, fun and a clear message: we stand together!