From November 11th to 15th, 2024, volunteers from the Turkish Federation Berlin-Brandenburg (TBB) met for a seminar at the wannseeFORUM Foundation. The participants of the new cohort attended their first seminar. The small group of 25 participants ensured a friendly and familiar atmosphere throughout the week.
Participants in the film workshop during editing
The theme of this seminar week was "Life in Berlin – Our City in Transition." The week began with a series of activity stations where participants could exchange their knowledge and ideas about the city and get to know each other better. One question the groups were asked to answer was, for example: "You are the mayor of Berlin, what would you and your cabinet (team) change?" This led to lively discussions among the participants, who then developed a 10-point program outlining their views and interests.
For five days, the volunteers worked in three art workshops on their artistic projects, which they were to present on Friday. In the music, poster & placard, and film workshops, the participants explored various themes related to the city of Berlin. The participants' dedication to their final project was evident in the focused and productive atmosphere throughout the week.
Outside of their workshop activities, the volunteers got to know each other during the self-organized evening programs. Whether it was relaxing together at the bar, around a campfire, playing a cheerfully competitive game of Taboo, or enjoying fun Werewolf game nights, it was a wonderful shared experience that significantly strengthened the group's sense of community. It also contributed to networking among the volunteers and the formation of friendships.
During the presentations, the workshop groups had the opportunity to introduce their work to one another. The film workshop kicked things off with their short film "A Beginning," which reflected the housing crisis in Berlin. The film captured the attention of the participants and was met with enthusiastic applause. Next, the poster workshop presented their artwork in an exhibition in the foyer. They worked with linocut and stencil templates, which they later spray-painted to create posters. The exhibition covered a variety of topics, such as equal opportunities in education, child poverty in Berlin, and diversity. The artists were available to answer questions about their artwork. The enthusiasm continued into the final presentation in the Kaminsaal, where the participants of the music workshop had already taken their places at their instruments and greeted the audience with sound recordings of everyday life in Berlin. They played two songs about Berlin, leaving the participants euphoric and amazed. The presentations concluded with an encore.
The wannseeFORUM thanks you for a constructive week and looks forward to the next seminar with the Turkish Federation Berlin-Brandenburg!
The seminar was funded by the Senate Department for Education, Youth and Family
