Category: Community Spotlight
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Migrants With Degrees Are Not What Germany Is Looking For
Education is a right, not a privilege. This idea has been a founding principle of modern democracies. In practice, however, access to education is far from guaranteed for everyone. As of this year, Germany has significantly restricted access to state-funded intermediate and advanced German courses for migrants participating voluntarily. Many rejected asylum seekers, people with insecure residence status, and migrants without…
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Good Intentions Are Not Democratic Enough
“What you do for me, but without me, you do against me” — the exact origin of this quote is unclear. Nevertheless, it captures something that frequently happens in Germany when it comes to the political participation of historically excluded groups. Policies are supposedly made for migrants, yet not with them. Gender equality is debated while no women are involved in…
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“Treat Every Case as Your Own”: How Zaki e.V. Supports Berlin’s Overlooked Migrants
WHP: Can you briefly introduce Zaki e.V.? What is your main mission in Berlin? Pia Bergmann: Zaki – Bildung und Kultur e.V. is a migrant-led organization, with its main office located at the Berlin Global Village in Neukölln and another office in Pankow. The organization’s focus can be summed up in one sentence: arrival and inclusion through education. Zaki (ذكي) comes…
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Multilingualism, Participation, and Power: A Berlin Case Study
Local migrant organizations often play a crucial yet underrecognized role in shaping participation, representation, and social cohesion within urban districts. Based on my experience directing the migraUp! Pankow project in Berlin between 2015 and 2025, this reflection highlights how community-based initiatives can strengthen migrant organizations while simultaneously contributing to local governance and democratic participation. migraUp! was conceived as a capacity-building initiative…
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“Democracy Is More Than Voting”: Sami Atris on Organising Communities in Berlin
WHP: Can you briefly introduce the Berliner Bürgerplattformen? What is its main purpose in Berlin? Sami Atris: Who actually decides what happens in our lives? How much influence do we have over how high our rent is — or whether we can even afford to stay in our neighbourhood? Who decides whether our children go to a good school? What the…
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Ukrainian Voices in Berlin: “People Are Not Objects for Integration Debates”
WHP: Can you briefly introduce the Allianz Ukrainischer Organisationen e.V (Alliance of Ukrainian Organizations)? What is its main task in Berlin? Oleksandra Bienert: The Allianz Ukrainischer Organisationen e.V. is a nationwide association currently bringing together 23 civil society organizations in eight federal states. These organizations were founded by people with a Ukrainian migration background and work predominantly on a voluntary basis.…
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