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From escape to tolerance: Mirzeta Haug's inspiring story
Mirzeta Haug, a Serbian refugee, promotes interreligious tolerance and integration in Pforzheim after her escape.
From escape to tolerance: Mirzeta Haug's inspiring story
Mirzeta Haug is a name that stands for intercultural understanding in Pforzheim. The Serbian-born woman fled her homeland at the age of eleven after her father, who was politically active and fought against discrimination against Muslims in Serbia, died under unclear circumstances in 1984. The following years were marked by uncertainties and challenges for Haug and her family, as she looks back on her integration in Germany. Today she heads the “Intercultural and Interreligious Educational Work” project and is involved in coordinating the intercultural week in her city. Loud Migazine Not only does she give others the opportunity to get to know different cultures and religions, but she also lives these values in her family.
Her family's escape took place in the context of the civil war in Bosnia, when the situation for Muslims in their homeland was becoming increasingly tense. After a failed asylum application, which was originally supposed to end with the threat of deportation, Haug and her relatives received support from local Christians and Germans. This solidarity has left a lasting impression and illustrates how important interreligious relationships continue to be today, especially after the tensions caused by the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel in October 2023.
Interreligious dialogue as the key to integration
Haug, who now lives in an interreligious marriage - her husband is a Protestant - is convinced that tolerance in the family plays a fundamental role in integration. She wants her children to have the opportunity to get to know both religions and decide for themselves which faith they want to belong to. This could also help bridge the gap between different faith communities and promote harmonious coexistence.
Her experiences have taught Haug that immigrants who are already integrated have a special responsibility. She sees supporting new refugees who have arrived in a diverse society as a common task. The need to fight for participation and justice is reinforced by current social challenges that will become apparent when the integration of refugees is taken into account. Information offers and educational projects play a crucial role here.
Religion and integration
The role of religion in integration processes is a topic that is much discussed. According to a study on the influence of religion on integration, it not only affects social life, but also the educational and career paths of immigrants. Haug illustrates this through her commitment and the positive perception of religions as a unifying element in society, as shown in various studies, for example by bpb.de.
But the road to successful integration is often rocky. Cultural institutions are required to meet the needs of people with a migration background. The responsibility lies both with the existing structures and with the political will-formation required to create a space for intercultural dialogue and shared experiences. Haug sees her work as part of this bigger picture.
The challenge is that many cultural institutions have not yet adequately addressed the needs of these people. Effective platforms are needed to include migrants in the cultural discourse and enable participation. Haug is actively committed to closing these gaps, which is a clear sign of a new way of collaboration between cultures.