Berlin has become a place of protection for vulnerable communities and human rights defenders from across the world—political dissidents and scholars from authoritarian countries, refugees fleeing wars and conflicts, civil society organizations, and even philanthropies. But while Berlin offers a safe haven to many, it has become less and less welcoming to its own local populations, especially disenfranchised communities, low income households, grassroots activists, local artists, and elderly people who can no longer afford booming rents and find themselves pushed to the outskirts, negatively affecting their social participation and cohesion in the city.
In this event, speakers will reflect on how a global Berlin can play a constructive role in fostering inclusion and local participation in the city.
Speakers
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Andreas Hieronymus
Speaker
Andreas Hieronymus is a program officer in the Migration and Inclusion Unit at the Open Society Initiative for Europe.
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Elke Schilling
Speaker
Elke Schilling is the chair of the Board of Silbernetz e.V.
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Magnus Hengge
Speaker
Magnus Hengge is an independent communications designer at Studio Adhoc GmbH and an advocate for the rights of renters and solidarity and justice in the city.
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Selmin Çalışkan
Speaker
Selmin Çalışkan is the director for Institutional Relations at the Berlin office of the Open Society Foundations.
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