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Civil society centre for global justice and sustainability emerges in Berlin
The topping-out ceremony for the new Berlin One-World Centre – “Berlin Global Village” – was celebrated on Monday. “The establishment of the One World Centre is an important undertaking, this is where Berlin’s development heart will beat,” said Senator for Economic Affairs, Ramona Pop.
“After ten years of preparatory work by civil society, there will finally be a place at the end of the year where Berlin will be developed into a globally just city,” said Sylvia Werther, CEO of Berlin Global Village e.V., mandated by the Berlin Development Policy Council (Berliner Entwicklungspolitischen Ratschlag or BER).
The One World Centre will offer work and meeting spaces for around 40 development-policy and migrant-diasporic non-governmental organizations.
This includes a “global classroom” that Berlin students and teachers can use to inform and exchange information on the topics of globalization, human rights and sustainability. There will also be event rooms, a gallery, a toy library with toys from all over the world and a café with products from fair trade.
The state of Berlin made the project possible in 2018 with start-up financial support of 3 million euros to Berlin Global Village gGmbH. In addition, the federal government is providing 1.8 million euros. The non-governmental organizations themselves provide over a half of the construction costs, 7.9 million euros, through long-term loans.
“Berlin as a sustainable, cosmopolitan city based on solidarity – that is the vision of Berlin’s state policy. The Berlin Global Village gives this vision a permanent place. Berlin needs lighthouses in which the broad civil society engagement is visible and accessible to all Berliners. I am looking forward to the numerous initiatives and projects that will find their way into the city from the Berlin Global Village,” said Ramona Pop.
“Berlin Global Village will become a house of diversity and a non-discriminatory space, in which more justice is collectively sought,” said Akinola Famson, CEO of Berlin Global Village e.V., mandated by AFROTAK TV cyberNomads. The centre is being built in Berlin-Neukölln on the former Kindl site. Berlin Global Village gGmbH signed a leasehold agreement for 100 years for the Am Sudhaus 2 property in 2018.
Michael Küppers-Adebisi
Michael Küppers-Adebisi is the Speaker for Diversity and Community Building, Berlin Global Village
