The campaign was prompted by racist attacks on one of the university’s students, Jada Ladu, who brought his experiences to public attention in autumn 2023 and also described them at the event on Saturday. In short contributions, others affected gave accounts of the increasing amount of racism they have experienced in their daily lives, also describing their worries and fears. They were joined by representatives from the cultural scene, academia, healthcare, tourism and business, whose overarching message was: “racism is absolutely inacceptable”. They all presented vivid examples of how culture, research, gastronomy, healthcare and many other sectors of the town and surrounding region would no longer work without people from abroad.
The partners of the alliance will not tolerate racist attacks becoming everyday experiences that are accepted by the public; Greifswald and the entire region should stand for tolerance, respect and cosmopolitanism. “As a biologist, I know that the more diverse an ecosystem is, the healthier, the more stress-resistant and more adaptable it is – this also applies to the ecosystem of our town: We also want to be fit for the future and well-equipped for crises and that’s why we should be glad about every fellow citizen of different origin, skin colour or cultural background, whom we must treat with respect and welcome warmly. I am glad that the 1300 people who have turned up here today, share this view,” said Prof. Dr. Katharina Riedel at the opening of the kick-off event.
The event on Greifswald’s market square was a first major sign of solidarity with those affected and marked the start of a broad campaign. The next measures include an extensive poster campaign, the publication of a brochure for those in need of help, empowerment workshops, as well as workshops for raising awareness and providing relevant information. The University of Greifswald also has an Anti-Discrimination Officer who can be approached by those affected and in need of help. Further information on the individual measures will be available shortly on webpages being designed specifically for the campaign.
Further information about the campaign.
Contacts at the University of Greifswald
University Communications
Domstraße 11, Entrance 1, 17489 Greifswald
Tel: +49 3834 420 1150
pressestelleuni-greifswaldde