The Federal Government Commissioner for Eastern Germany, Carsten Schneider, sees Chemnitz as the European Capital of Culture as an opportunity to take a fresh look at the region. "Like the whole of eastern Germany, Chemnitz is also struggling with prejudice and stigmatization, especially after the riots of 2018," explained the SPD politician.
In the late summer of 2018, Chemnitz made negative headlines due to right-wing extremist excesses. At the time, there were racist attacks and talk of hunts for foreigners. "I hope that the Capital of Culture Chemnitz will arouse supra-regional interest and invite West Germany in particular to discover many unseen things, in line with the motto "C the Unseen"," emphasized Schneider with a view to the opening ceremony this Saturday.
State Minister of Culture Claudia Roth (Alliance 90/Greens) was impressed by the planned programme. "This will appeal to a broad audience and present culture as a space of diversity, vibrant democracy, close European cooperation and openness to the world," explained Roth. With this program, Chemnitz and the more than 30 participating municipalities in the surrounding area have the potential to create a "cultural beacon" that is perceived throughout Europe.
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