Interkulture:

Our final stop in Cologne and only stop on day three, was at a non-profit education inclusion center that serves migrants and the Muslim community. They offer classes, education assistance, and social services to families. In addition to the different services, they also provide a multi-purpose community space for artists and a park beside the building that hosts local festivals.

When we asked questions about the space and services, there was a range of challenges they told us about. The space is publicly owned by the city of Cologne and there are strict rules about even minor changes or work. Everything requires approval and takes a long time to get done. For example if Interkulture wants to paint one wall, they need city approval and have to go through a bureaucratic process. The building is older and does require a lot of maintenance which is the responsibility organization, even though the city owns it. The center serves a lot of Turkish and Muslim migrants. Dr. Bozay told us about their challenges with fighting anti-Muslim Xenophobia and racism. This includes negative stereotypes about Arab Muslim migrants being dangerous and stealing jobs. The events and programming are open to everyone but range from culture to job/resource fairs, and anti-racism workshops.