From September 10th to 14th, 2018, volunteers from the Turkish Federation Berlin-Brandenburg (TBB) met again for a seminar at the wannseeFORUM Foundation. For some of the new cohort, this was their first seminar, while for others it was the last educational seminar of their voluntary social year. The small group of 23 participants ensured a friendly and intimate atmosphere throughout the week.
The topic was "Classism and Consumerism." On the very first day of the seminar, after everyone had gotten to know each other a little, Nenad Čupić (trainer and consultant in power- and discrimination-critical education) provided a joint introduction to the content.
Definitions for the term "classism" were developed, and initial personal experiences were shared. With questions like "Who is the richest person you know, and how rich are they?" or "Should everyone's monthly salary be publicly accessible?", we explored our own ideas and biographies. At the end of the first day, the complex question of what exactly classism is was, of course, not entirely resolved, but interest in the subsequent work in the artistic workshops had been sparked.
Starting Tuesday, parallel art workshops in comics and theater began. Both workshops focused heavily on biographical work, translating participants' own experiences into their respective media.
The theater group incorporated deeply personal experiences and explored the education system and the constraints that often influence our academic and career choices. On stage, they overcame the obstacles that society places in their path.
The comics group created two very different comics. The first is inspired by George Orwell's "Animal Farm." In the comic, the farmer leaves the farm alone for a day, and the farm dog, Snoopy, visits the other animal groups. Here, the animal protagonist has his own unique experiences with classism.
The second comic centers on an expensive vase—someone finds it by chance and suddenly becomes wealthy. The comic follows the person through the decisions they subsequently make and how their life changes through possession.
On Thursday, the group celebrated their last evening together with a festive dinner and campfire bread, before the results of both workshop groups were presented on Friday. The final group evaluation included many expressions of gratitude for inspiration, collaboration, and mutual respect, as all participants felt how much they had learned from and about each other during the week. The wannseeFORUM Foundation looks forward to seeing the TBB again in October 2018 and wishes all the volunteers, for whom this was their last educational seminar, every success in their future endeavors.