Conversation café in Donaueschingen: Building bridges through language!

Conversation café in Donaueschingen: Building bridges through language!

In Donaueschingen, integration lives through personal exchange: an international discussion café takes place on Wednesdays in the multi-generational house, which has already given many immigrants a voice. Around ten men from countries such as Afghanistan, Cameroon and Eritrea come together, accompanied by five committed volunteers. This feat of communication is carried out by Black Forest messenger vividly described.

The participants come from different cultural backgrounds, which enriches the diversity of the conversations. Your language skills vary from A1 to B2. Some of these men are already actively working, while others are still looking for a job or attending an integration course. How important these language skills are is illustrated by Socrates Mustafa, a participant from Syria, who shares his experiences and helps others directly with language challenges.

Challenges of the participants

The conversations in the café are not only opportunities for exchange, but also platforms for talking about the challenges in the integration process. Asad, a refugee from Afghanistan, has shared his experiences with xenophobic statements and the German bureaucracy. These difficulties are a constant burden for many participants. Abou from Cameroon is also affected by the uncertainty: despite having started training in geriatric care, his application for asylum was rejected, which makes his future uncertain. The current tightening of the federal government's deportation policy is causing further unrest and concern among the participants.

The multi-generational house itself has existed since 2008 and has now established itself as an important place for social encounters. It is supported by the Caritas Association for the Schwarzwald-Baar District, which not only enables this dialogue space, but also generally contributes to promoting integration and intercultural exchange.

Integration in a larger context

But what does the integration process actually look like across the country? According to figures from Statista Migration remains a central political issue in Germany. In 2024, almost nine million immigrants lived in Germany, with a positive migration balance. In particular, refugee movements from Ukraine have risen sharply in the last two years, which is further increasing the complexity of integration. Only around 44.3 percent of asylum applications were approved in 2024, meaning that more than half of the applications were rejected.

Rumors about the challenges of integration are widespread. Particularly with regard to opportunities on the labor market, it turns out that the risk of poverty for people with a migrant background is 30 percent in 2024, while it is only 13 percent for people without a migrant background. Integration courses were attended by over 360,000 new participants last year, which shows that the desire for support and opportunities is great.

In an environment characterized by prejudices and challenges, the international conversation café in Donaueschingen shows how important such initiatives are. They not only offer a space for the exchange of cultural experiences, but also promote mutual support and cooperation. In the MGH Language Café For example, the aim is to reduce barriers and promote intercultural dialogue. This not only creates friendships, but also important networks that enrich coexistence in our society.