Opening Special on Courage and Hope: When a Life Matters More Than the Summit. On Responsibility Today and Tomorrow.

What does it take to do the right thing in extreme situations - and to face the future with hope? This evening brings together two compelling formats: extreme mountaineer Lukas Wörle reads from his account "Gratwanderung" - a gripping story about a rescue operation above 8,000 metres that nearly cost him his own life, and about responsibility in an increasingly commercialised mountain world.

Authors Andrea Grill, Theresa Hannig, Mario Giordano and Lucas Fassnacht then present the results of a literary future lab: over three days they discussed with residents of Weinheim whether the future is dystopia or opportunity.

The evening is accompanied musically by guitarist and composer Claus Boesser-Ferrari.

Lukas Wörle reads from "Gratwanderung":
Lukas Wörle has a dream: to climb an eight-thousander without supplemental oxygen and without the support of a high-altitude porter, then fly from the summit into the valley by paraglider. In summer 2023 he sets off for Broad Peak - the neighbour of the notorious K2 - with exactly that goal. But just below the summit, above 8,000 metres, he comes across an injured Pakistani high-altitude porter who has been abandoned by his own expedition. Exposed to the elements, the man is fighting a seemingly hopeless battle for survival. Without hesitation, Lukas abandons his own goal and tries to bring the injured man back to camp. Alone, it is a near-impossible task that puts his own life at risk. The extreme physical and mental challenges Lukas faces lead him to question once more the excesses of commercial mountain tourism. What happens to mountaineering when reaching the summit becomes more important than a human life - and that goes unpunished? A dramatic first-hand account from an extreme mountaineer who challenges the face of modern alpinism.