Over 90 interested people in the District of Tübingen came together at the District Office Tübingen on the early evening of 28th September. They all want to be present for the exhibition opening of “Experiences with refugees – volunteer-stories from the District Tübingen”. For the exhibition, volunteers wrote down their experiences with refugees. The exhibition has 18 funny and moving stories. Furthermore, tünews INTERNATIONAL published a special edition depicting an additional 14 stories.
The exhibition was inaugurated by district administrator Joachim Walter and the mayor of Tübingen, Daniela Harsch. Following this, seven authors read their stories in front of the gathered crowd. The readers were thrilled by the many attendees: “It is nice that so many people are here and are listening,” says Helga Kuhn, one of the volunteers. The spectators were delighted by the exhibition and the stories as well. For example, Markus H., who’s story is also in the tünews special edition: “I’m excited by the diversity of stories and this exhibition is well done.”
The visitors not only enjoyed the diversity of the stories, the content moved them as well. There are funny stories, for example about the Swabian unit of measurement “Muggasaeggele”. Yet, heart-warming and tear-bringing stories about escape and family reunification cannot be missed in the collection. Carmen Widmaier is thrilled about “how much happiness volunteering brings to the people who are helping” – something which is constantly proven by all stories, even the sad ones, and which shows why volunteering is worthwhile.
The exhibition also finds approval among refugees. “I definitely find it good that other people can read my story. There are many people like me and they all have very interesting stories. When others read these stories, then they understand us,” thinks Ebrima Touray, a refugee from Gambia. Angela Baer, who works with refugees, agrees that “it is very important to tell positive stories. Many refugees have a bad reputation and they don’t deserve it.”
The exhibition is part of the Intercultural Week and aims to strengthen the understanding between people. At the same time, the exposition wants to thank all those, who spend their time helping others.
The exhibition is open until 1st November 2020. It is on the patch of grass in front of the Tübingen District Office in the Wilhelm-Keil-Straße 50. It is open all day long and every day of the week. There is no entrance fee.
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Impressionen zum Leben in Zeiten der Corona-Pandemie: Foto: tünews INTERNATIONAL; Mostafa Elyasian.
