Reading with Derviş Hızarcı: Diversity instead of hate in Köpenick!

Reading with Derviş Hızarcı: Diversity instead of hate in Köpenick!

On Thursday, September 25, 2025, the Köpenick Center Library will host a reading and discussion with Derviş Hızarcı. This evening, which begins at 7:00 p.m., the focus will be on his book “Between Hate and Attitude – What we as a migration society have to learn.” This event takes place in the context of an educational trip to post-migrant Berlin and addresses the responsibility for diversity in our society. Berlin.de notes that admission is free and registration can be made by calling 030/90297-3418 or by email to stadtbibliothek-altermarktkoepenick.veranstaltungen@ba-tk.berlin.de.

Derviş Hızarcı, chairman of the Kreuzberg Initiative against Anti-Semitism (KIgA), has intensively dealt with the reactions to social crises in Germany since the tragic events of October 7, 2023. The former teacher and anti-discrimination officer speaks about the importance of diversity and the need to actively counteract discrimination in education and schools. SHMH adds that Hızarcı was not only born in Berlin, but has also been leading the KIgA since 2015, always formulating the conditions for successful, diverse coexistence in society.

Reactions to social crises

The discussion about Hızarcı's issues comes at a particularly explosive time. Following Hamas' attack on Israel, Germany has seen a rise in anti-Semitism and anti-Muslim racism. Such social tensions reinforce the need for inclusion work and the promotion of diversity. This factorization becomes clear through an examination of the situation in civil society: an analysis shows that 70% of organizations are observing worrying shifts in discourse and crises. IDZ argues that times of crisis both fuel fears and provide opportunities for social innovation.

The ongoing crises in society, provoked by events such as anti-Semitic and right-wing extremist attacks as well as the COVID-19 pandemic, pose a particular challenge to civil society actors. They are actively trying to continue their projects against discrimination and for diversity. Hızarcı's cooperation with fluxus² e.V. and the Altona Museum is highlighted in this context as it underlines the relevance of such initiatives.

This event in the Köpenick Center Library is not only a literary performance, but also an important step towards respectful coexistence. It offers space for reflection and discussion about the challenges our society faces in the face of discrimination and social tensions. In view of the increasing crises, it is essential to act together and stand up in solidarity for an open and diverse society.