Karneval der Kulturen

Karneval der Kulturen in Berlin
2009
2006

Karneval der Kulturen (Carnival of Cultures) is a multicultural festival in Kreuzberg, Berlin, celebrated annually around Pentecost weekend since 1996. It is organised by the Werkstatt der Kulturen. The processions, theatre performances, and music events celebrate peace, tolerance, and multiculturalism.

History

The Werkstatt der Kulturen was founded in October 1993 in Neukölln, Berlin, patronised by the Berlin Senate. The first Karneval der Kulturen took place on 15 and 16 May 1996 around Ascension Thursday. It was inspired by other European carnevals such as the Notting Hill Carnival in London and the Zomercarnaval in Rotterdam.

The Karneval der Kulturen then grew to a four-day festival with numerous musical and theatrical performances. The number of visitors grew from 50,000 in 1996 to 300,000 in 1997, 1 million in 2000, to 1.5 million in 2003.[1] The number of procession groups also grew from 2,200 to more than 4,000.[2] These procession groups come from all over Germany, but many also come from South America and Africa.[3]

Sexual assaults

At the 2016 Karneval der Kulturen, sexual assaults were reported, similar to the New Year's Eve assaults in Cologne. Seven men of Tunisian, Moroccan, Libyan, and Algerian origin were arrested on charges of theft. Four further men were arrested under allegations of sexual assault. The press reported the case of two teenage girls, ages 17 and 18, who were encircled and molested by a group of ten young men. According to the police, the suspects of these sexual assaults had a Turkish and Lebanese "migration background". In addition, a 16-year-old girl and a 22-year-old woman were sexually assaulted. In the case of the 22-year-old victim, a 40-year-old man from Turkey was arrested as a suspect.[4]

References

  1. ↑ Frei, Kerstin (2003). Wer sich maskiert, wird integriert. Der Karneval der Kulturen in Berlin. Berlin: Schiler. ISBN 3-89930-008-4.
  2. ↑ http://de.indymedia.org//2004/05/84423.shtml
  3. ↑ Knecht, Michi (2007). Wie der Karneval der Kulturen denkt, lernt und Kultur macht. Berlin: Panama-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938714-01-0.
  4. ↑ "Zahl der "Antänzer" deutlich höher als bisher bekannt" [Number of " Antänzer " significantly higher than previously known]. Der Tagesspiegel. Retrieved 30 May 2016.(German)
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