The slogan „Zusammen leben, zusammen wachsen“ (live together, grow together.) returned for the Intercultural Week 2020. However, meeting one-another had become a challange because of the Corona pandemic.
After the successful launch of the Intercultural Week in 2019, the programme was to be expanded. There were many new ideas and participants. But then Corona brought every activity concerning culture, arts, dance, as well as encounters to a grinding halt.
"It was challanging to plan a programme in these times." said Andrea Koch-Widmann, the city's integration commissioner. We had to find interesting contributions respecting distance and hygiene regulations. "Cancelling the Intercultural Weeks, would have been our very last resort." she explained.
NEU Foto für Homepage IKW 2020 4
With this special contribution, the municipal library and the project "eins plus b" circumvented Corona entirely:
The popular bilingual storytelling sessions for children in kindergarden were published as videos on the respective websites for the entire duration of the Interultural Week, 24-7.
This time around the stories were told in German-Romanian and in German-Portuguese.
Interpreting is not an easy task and entails great responsibility. The voluntary interpreters from the Interpreters Pool in Ostfildern, Filderstadt and in the district Esslingen are keenly aware of that fact. This joint event focused on the exciting topic of interpreting on this international day od translation.
Hes Sedik from the State Ministry Baden-Württemberg reported from her experiences interpreting for vulnarable groups, like Yazidi women.
Next, the participants could exchange their experiences. Either during a GEHspräch (walk and talk) or while playing.
Interpreters, professional or voluntary, as well as any interested citizen were invited.
A home is something very personal. A home cannot be chosen, nor can it be acquired; found maybe - but lost as well. Even those who stay in their native home have to live with change.
Gudrun Pampel, who moved here decades ago, brought her "culture-baggage" including images and items inviting people to discuss the topic "home".
A "Erzählcafé" (discussion-café) with the subject: How integration can succeed.
„Neigschmeckte“, that's how Swabians traditionally call people who move to the "Schwabenland" (Swabia). How foreigner became friends was the topic of personal histories and experiences shared during the discussions between old and new "Neigschmeckte" in the "Erzählcafé"
During the weekly market fruit and vegetabels from all over the world are sold to the customers. International flair can be found in the Market Café as well. A cup of tea from the Samowar or a strong coffee can be enjoyed together with the company of other visitors and some small talk.
02.10. was „Tag des Flüchtlings“ (Refugee Day)
The action #LeaveNoOneBehind“ called attention to the situation of refugees as well as to the consequences of our current lifestyle on climate, environment, and thus on what causes people to flee their homes.
Supported by the catholic women group Maria 2.0, Pater Thomas Ebinger (responsible for asylum of the evangelic church district Bernhausen - Kemnat), further actors from the church, and the Freundeskreis Asyl, a "shoe-action" was held. Citizens formulated their personal concerns, wrote them on placards, and placed them next to their shoes which they had brought from home.
Unfortunatelly, the newly finished citizen-room, called "Parksiedlerei", could not be inaugurated with a big party. Nonetheless, the WiPS (Wir in der Parksiedlung) organised a day of the open door together with the newly appointed district manager Iryna Gumenchuk.
The inauguration of the new room, which is dedicated to civic activities and intercultural encounters, was celebrated with dance performances and music.
„Hindustani classical“ is the classic, Indian music of northern India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. It found its form in the 16. century and is still perfored in this way today.
The musical pieces express an emotion starting with a slow, meditative part followed by an increasingly rythmical part. Small ensembles play in improvisation rather than from notes.
Artists: Hindol Deb – Sitar, Florian Schiertz – Tabla