Berlin Sculptures Celebrate Diversity

by LELE JANDON

For the Italian far-right that governs Italy, immigration is a moral evil: Meloni’s brother-in-law (who is also a minister) recently repeated the “Great Replacement” conspiracy theory already used by Trump, Orbán, Meloni & Salvini (leader of “The Northern League”, the other extremist right-wing party at the government) offending Italians of foreigner background. On the contrary here in Germany and especially here in Berlin we celebrate diversity (in German “Vielfalt” or “Diversität”) as a common value. As you know, the buddy bear has been the symbol of Berlin for twenty years. For example, I have already shown you some of the sculptures from the countries of the world installed at Tierpark Zoo: each one is a big buddy bear on which the imagery of that nation (animals, natural environment, fairy tales) is beautifully depicted. In this contemporary work of art of Berliner street artist Damian Yves Rohde, entitled “Hand in Hand for Tolerance”, the spirit of our city is visualized. I have already shown you this group of “Berliner Bären” when it was situated in the middle of the nice square Wittenbergplatz, now it is located on Ku’damm Blvd. When I pass by there, I notice that all visitors can’t resist taking a memory picture!

Below the figures we read: “The seven Buddy Bear sculptures are standing together hand in hand. They illustrate the life-affirming atmosphere of people living together peacefully in this city. Tolerance and mutual respect are prerequisites for living in peace. The designs of the sculptures show people whose roots are in all the different parts of the world. Berliners with diverse cultural backgrounds, different religions, of all skin colors, with diverse concepts of life and various orientations. They are all part of this open, cosmopolitan city. They all belong. They are Berlin. Ever since the Huguenots” (French protestants who came here and in Brandenburg in thousands as religious refugees in 1685) “people from all over the world have always come to Berlin. Berlin is open to citizens of all faith. Today people from more than 190 nations live in our city. Different cultures create diversity. Being open and cosmopolitan enriches the city. In Berlin people with highly diverse orientations can develop freely. Whether you are a Berliner is not a question of the color of your skin. It is a question of attitude”. Lele Jandon