»I grew up with the principle that everyone is equally valuable and important«, says Anne Katrin Müller. As integration officer, she has supported integration processes in Ludwigsburg since 2013. As director of the regional association of municipal migrant representations, Argyri Paraschaki champions the cause – supralocal, supraethnic and supraconfessional – of equal participation for people with migrant background. Both women contribute to constructive collaboration and communication between residents of Baden-Württemberg of different origins, and work to promote and shape integration.

»I see diversity, whether cultural or otherwise, not as a disadvantage, but as an asset«, Paraschaki emphasises. »Cultural diversity is important, since our society consists increasingly of diverse cultural and ethnic groups. We can learn from one another, but first we need a certain level of mutual understanding. Getting to know other cultures helps us to understand different perspectives on the world we live in. It helps if we can reduce negative stereotypes and personal prejudices towards others or towards different groups. In addition, cultural diversity helps us to recognise and respect other 'life forms' which may not necessarily be our own. If we interact with others, we can build bridges in order to create trust, respect and understanding across cultures. Moreover, this diversity makes our society and our country an interesting place to live, since people from different cultures bring language skills, new ways of thinking, new knowledge and diverse experiences.«

A production of the Ludwigsburg Festival 2020

Konrad Amrhein – idea & concept / Jasmin Astaki-Bardeh – camera & sound / Adrian Huber – camera & sound / Felix Länge – editing / Jonas Urbat und Maria Reich als #LeakIt – music

In cooperation with Ludwigsburg city, the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg, Engagement Global – 17Ziele.de and the Ruprecht Foundation