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Retrospective
With "Ice Cream Cones for Social Justice" and the FHP Mobile in Potsdam for the Opening of the Intercultural Weeks
85 years after the beginning of the Second World War, on the occasion of Anti-War Day on the 1st of September 2024, the Interreligious Forum Potsdam and the Ecumenical Preparatory Committee invited people to the Brandenburg Gate in Potsdam for the opening of the Intercultural Weeks 2024. The University of Applied Sciences Potsdam took part with the FHP Mobil to demonstrate a clear stance for democracy, cohesion and an open and diverse society three weeks before the elections to the Brandenburg state parliament on the 22nd of September. Potsdam's Lord Mayor Mike Schubert opened the Intercultural Week.
The ceremonial opening of the Intercultural Weeks began at the Brandenburg Gate with a prayer for peace and from there, led by the drumming group "SEXTA FEIRA", people made their way to the democracy station with the FHP Mobil. Once there, Lord Mayor Mike Schubert addressed the visitors:
"Potsdam epitomises diversity, tolerance and cosmopolitanism. The Potsdam Edict of Tolerance was issued here, people have always found refuge here and enriched our lives through cultural exchange. Since 1991, Potsdam has participated in the nationwide activities of the Intercultural Week, which this year offers an extensive programme of around 5,000 events in almost 700 towns and communities under the motto 'New Spaces'. Thanks to Potsdam's committed sponsors, it has once again been possible to put together a varied and colourful programme. One highlight is the emotional opening on today's World Peace Day – a big thank you to the initiators!"
The University of Applied Sciences Potsdam invited visitors to prioritise 2 – 3 of the 9 election demands of Brandenburg's social associations and to visualise these with 2 – 3 matching coloured balls in an "ice cream cone" made of paper with the hands-on programme "Ice cream cones for social justice". The results of this and other surveys that we have carried out with the election demands will be forwarded to the working group of the associations of independent non-profit welfare organisations, the Regional-LIGA Potsdam and Potsdam-Mittelmark, so that the resulting data can be passed on to politicians. The "ice cream cones for social justice" thus reflect the population's prioritisation of social demands (see PDF "Election demands of Brandenburg's social welfare associations").
