The Intercultural Summer Festival is a well-established event that has been taking place for many decades now as a celebration of cultural exchange, reflecting the openness and diversity of our city. With a wide variety of culinary offerings and information booths run by numerous organizations, clubs, and initiatives focused on diversity, visitors have the opportunity to enjoy a delightful and varied day—including, of course, activities for children, information on various initiatives, counseling services, and offerings from the city administration, and much more. 

On stage, too, the numerous initiatives and clubs will showcase their dance and musical performances. The curtain rises at 10 a.m., and then the clubs and groups will present themselves to the public on the large stage in front of Wiesbaden City Hall, sharing their diversity with the guests in attendance. Around 1:00 p.m., Mayor Gerd-Uwe Mende, City Council Chair Dr. Gerhard Obermayr, and the Director of Integration—who has yet to be appointed—will address the audience with welcoming remarks. Likewise, the Chair of the Foreign Residents’ Advisory Council, Julius Gomes, will address the audience and warmly welcome everyone. 

Once again this year, numerous city departments will be presenting their services. Throughout the day, the Office for Immigration and Integration, the City Personnel Office, the Municipal Women’s Affairs Office, the West Hesse Police Headquarters, and numerous partners of the City of Wiesbaden will be providing information at booths about their services, projects, and counseling options. Among other things, information will be available on naturalization, the recognition of educational credentials earned abroad, and language acquisition. Visitors will also receive information about training opportunities offered by the State Capital of Wiesbaden. In addition, numerous counseling services from various organizations—such as Caritas, the Child Protection Association, and the AWO—will be available to guests. There are also plenty of activities for the youngest visitors, such as a raffle with many prizes—including SV Wehen-Wiesbaden jerseys and free tickets—face painting, arts and crafts, and much more. Many associations and initiatives from Wiesbaden’s migrant organizations are also present again this year to showcase their work and engage in dialogue with visitors. 

“This year marks the 49th time we’ve held the Intercultural Summer Festival on Wiesbaden’s Schlossplatz. That means we’ll be celebrating our 50th anniversary next year. Especially in tense times like these, this festival sends a very important message. For here in Wiesbaden—and this is a cross-party consensus in our city—we live peacefully and openly side by side. And here in Wiesbaden, we view diversity as an enrichment. People in this city have been living together harmoniously and respectfully for years and decades. Wiesbaden is thus an outstanding example—one that extends beyond our city limits—of how treating one another with tolerance and respect is not just an empty phrase, but is brought to life right here among us. We live together and stand up for one another. And so this year’s motto, “Together. For One Another” is an expression of exactly that. There is no place in Wiesbaden for hate speech and exclusion. In our city, we live together and stand up for one another. Diversity, democracy, and our democratic coexistence are the cornerstones of our urban community. It is the responsibility of all of us to ensure that this remains the case, and I would like to invite everyone in this city to join us in this effort. Get involved, participate in elections and discussions, share your suggestions and ideas, and continue to contribute to the enduring spirit of togetherness in Wiesbaden. As in previous years, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped make this wonderful festival a reality. And I would like to express a very special thank you to the initiatives, clubs, and cultural groups present at the festival. Through your volunteer work and great dedication, you all make a significant contribution to Wiesbaden’s diversity. I am delighted that you are all so actively involved in Wiesbaden and thank you all for your cooperative and respectful collaboration over the past years. Last but not least, I wish us all a wonderful, joyful day filled with a spirit of togetherness. In this spirit: “Stand by one another and be there for one another,” said the outgoing Head of the Department of Integration, Milena Löbcke.