HWPL Hosts Human Rights Dialogue in Frankfurt:
Discussion on Cultural Diversity for Peaceful Coexistence
On July 5th, the HWPL Frankfurt Branch hosted a Human Rights Dialogue with the theme ‘Where is my home: A Global Village of Peace.’
Frankfurt is one of the major cities in Europe, where diverse races, cultures, and religions coexist harmoniously. People from various backgrounds have settled in Frankfurt for reasons such as their occupations or escaping war, but they all live with a shared sense of belonging as ‘Frankfurters.’ This Dialogue was organized to acknowledge cultural diversity and promote peaceful social coexistence based on respect for human rights.
The Dialogue began with an opening remark by Dr. Noreen Akram Rathore, CEO of Europe Info Point. He stated, “In a multicultural society, opportunities for people to interact and exchange are very important, and this can lead to the promotion of human rights. I commend HWPL’s efforts in creating this opportunity.”
After the opening remarks, participants shared their personal stories about living in Frankfurt, which enriched the atmosphere of the Dialogue. They spoke openly about what Frankfurt means to them and shared their visions and hopes for the city.
Ms. Julia, a university student from Kyiv, Ukraine, emphasized, “Since settling in Frankfurt, I have been able to experience different cultures. We all need to treat everyone as equals, not as strangers.”
The moderator concluded the session by saying, “We want to develop a multicultural vision for Frankfurt while respecting the dignity of all individuals. Recognizing various cultural identities is important so that all citizens can feel at home in Frankfurt, regardless of their backgrounds,” which resonated with the participants.
Following this, participants had a tea break and wrote their advice on notes about how Frankfurt can become a city of coexistence and mutual understanding. These notes were posted on a storyboard. The second part of the event featured an open discussion. Maurice Beuter, a member of the volunteer group ‘Schützende Hände (Helping Hands),’ said, “As members of this city, we need to be more sensitive to those in need and help them, even if we notice cultural differences.”
The ideas collected during the Dialogue will be applied to projects aimed at enhancing cultural diversity. Additionally, ongoing Dialogues will be held to address social issues such as violent radicalism, racism, and xenophobia, which are increasing in Europe, to ensure that all citizens can feel that Frankfurt is their home, based on a culture of peace and respect for human rights.
