I grew up in a small town in Southern Germany. It was a typical German village, but it is close enough to a big city, so I grew up with some immigrant people. We met at the football club, at school or just playing in the neighborhood. Once I was invited to go to the house of a friend whose parents had Turkish roots. I think I was 10 years old. He took me to a street where only immigrants lived. His house from inside was very nice. We watched some VHS movies (yes, I am very old) and their parents gave us some Turkish sweets to eat. Turkish food is awesome. I remember his parents were a little nervous; They treated me so well that I actually felt like someone special. We sat on the carpet instead of chairs and played some stuff. After a while, I thanked my friend and parents for the invitation and went home. This was my first intercultural experience that I can remember. In the next few years I will have many more, and I never really thought much about them. I was not a kid who saw “differences”.
There is a movement of intolerance and racism around the world. Hello?! I can not believe that there are people out there who do not know impressive people from other countries or cultures? What about the children, at least? Have they never seen Star Trek? Big challenges can only be solved with a global effort. Climate change is the best example, but also alleviating the struggle for resources and ensuring social stability require different nations to work towards the same goals. It should not matter whether a house is on the other side of a border; Borders are not real, they are imaginary. A border does not feel and does not suffer, thus, it is not real.
Sincerely,
A citizen of the world
This is dedicated to my wife and children.
