Welcome Address by Ms Kirsten Fehrs

Dear ladies and gentlemen,

Dear friends of the Arab Cultural Weeks,

The Arab Cultural Weeks are now taking place for the 11th time, and, as always, the programme reflects the diversity of the cultural landscape of the Near and Middle East. The tragic events, particularly in Syria and Iraq, mean that violence, displacement and exile are also addressed. This time, the events focus on our own country: how do we actually treat people who seek refuge here? How do the men and women who live among us for a shorter or longer period and become part of our society feel and think? Our society and our church congregations are becoming more diverse in this respect. As a bishop, I frequently meet refugees. Time and again, these encounters show me how willing people are to integrate. And why should that be surprising? Syrian refugees, for example, come from a multireligious setting in which different cultures naturally lived peacefully alongside one another until the emergence of militant jihadism. If the Cultural Weeks promote an awareness that diversity is desirable rather than narrow-minded uniformity, then, from my perspective, they have achieved their aim. I wish the events a large turnout and stimulating discussions!

Yours, Kirsten Fehrs

Bishop of the Hamburg and Lübeck district of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Northern Germany