House of Immigration Society

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Claudia Roth, Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media: "Germany is a country of immigration. And yet the perspectives of immigrants and their descendants have hardly found a place in German discourse or in our historiography. With the "House of Immigration Society", a place is now being created where this history is honoured and told. I am looking forward to this new place of learning, which aims to depict the diversity of our society."

Hortensia Völckers, former Artistic Director of the Federal Cultural Foundation: "The 'House of Immigration Society' will not be a conventional-style museum. With its support for DOMiD and the DOMiDLabs, the Federal Cultural Foundation is committed to ensuring that migrant perspectives and interests play a decisive role in the development of the concept. The guiding principle of participation will make the Migration Museum a new type of cultural institution."

Reem Alabali-Radovan, Federal Commissioner for Integration: "Immigrants and their descendants have helped to build this country and have left a lasting mark on it. It is therefore all the more important that our country, with the House of Immigration Society, is given a symbolic place where we can learn a great deal about our history. I support this wholeheartedly. We need the perspectives of all people in Germany to understand our history and hold it together."

Prof. Dr. Rita Süßmuth, retired President of the Bundestag / Patroness "House of Immigration Society": "Germany is de facto an immigration country. Migration and social diversity will continue to shape the Federal Republic in the future. The fact that we accept refugees in large numbers is not anchored in all parts of the population. The events in 2015 also triggered uncertainty and fears among many. Cologne is an excellent example of successful integration and living together. Cohesion comes from working together and living together. The “House of Immigration Society” will make an important contribution to this."

Bassam Ghazi, director and artistic director of the Stadt:Kollektiv at the Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus: "What came first? You or your story? The time has finally come ... our House of the Immigration Society, where we will be able to walk through the rooms with our children and tell the stories of our parents and grandparents."

Christiane Benner, First chair person IG Metall: "Finally the time has come and "das Haus der Einwanderungsgesellschaft" (the house of immigration society) is being built! With more than 500,000 members with a migration background in the IG Metall, it is very important to us to tell and visualize the history of all people who are living and working here. For years, we have been supporting the demand for an independent museum for the history of migration."

Mark Terkessidis, migration researcher and author: "There are museums for cutlery and for chocolate, for sports and for arts and crafts. In the case of the children under the age of six, especially in the cities of the old federal states, children with a migration background are consistently in the majority. Does one still have to justify why there should be a museum for migration?"

Serap Güler, Member of German parliament (CDU): "We are a country of immigration! So many people from other countries have found a new home here. It is high time for this history of immigration to be appreciated, made visible and told: through a central museum of migration."

Dr. Rolf Mützenich, Chair of SPD group in the German Parliament: "Not only does migration have history in Germany, it is one of the pressing issues of our time. I campaigned for this project in order to enable a place of remembrance for culture and foster an exchange on migration issues."

Can Candan, Filmmaker, Director/Producer of Duvarlar - Walls - Mauern: "The funding for the new „House of Immigration Society“ is such an important opportunity to appreciate Germany as a country with a rich history of migration and all the contributions migrants have made to this society with the stories and experiences from the past, discussions in the present, and imaginations for the future."

İbrahim Arslan, Activist and survivor of the racist arson attacks in Mölln 1992: "Migrant-situated knowledge has not been considered for decades, although it has always been and remains expert knowledge concerning racism. This knowledge now has a museum."

Gabriele Hammelrath, former Member of Parliament NRW, SPD: "My heartfelt congratulations on this great success. In addition, my great appreciation for the intensive work and the tireless commitment - because only through this has the important step on the way to the Migration Museum come about. Of course, I offer you my support for the next steps."

Prof. Dr. Karim Fereidooni, Professor of Didactics of Social Science Education at the Ruhr University Bochum; racism researcher: "Germany is a migration society. A society shaped by migration must honor such achievements that have been made. A migration museum is an important step to represent the cultural memory of our diverse society."

Samy Charchira, diploma social worker: "If we want to shape our future as a society, we cannot deny our present. The country of immigration Germany urgently needs a migration museum. That commands already the historical truth."