Mixed Picture for Berlin's Muslims

BERLIN—Muslims in the Kreuzberg neighborhood of Berlin are actively involved in public life and feel a strong sense of belonging to the city, though they also consistently face high levels of religious discrimination, according to a report released today by the At Home in Europe project of the Open Society Institute.

"Ethnic and religious diversity is an asset in Berlin. The district of Kreuzberg is a shining example of different cultures and different values co-existing successfully," said Nazia Hussain, director of OSI's At Home in Europe project. "Many challenges remain unaddressed, however. Critically, this study documents that discrimination on the basis of religion is occurring far too often at both the workplace and schools."

The Muslims in Berlin report is the culmination of more than two years of research. The study involved in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with Muslim residents and interviews with local government officials, Muslim leaders, academics, journalists, and activists in the district of Fredrichshain-Kreuzberg.

Key Findings

• 84 percent of Muslims and 76 percent of non-Muslims surveyed said they belonged to the district of Fredrichshain-Kreuzberg.
• 79 percent of Muslims and 45 percent of non-Muslims experienced discrimination in the past year at least once.
• Discrimination in the school system is a major concern for Muslim parents. Pupils are regularly confronted by negative stereotypes and low expectations from teachers.
• Around half of Muslims and non-Muslims surveyed do not trust the police. Both groups expressed low levels of satisfaction with police services.
• Muslims have high rates of civic participation in education and youth activities. Religiously observant young Muslim women are particularly active in civic and political spheres.

This study is part of a series of monitoring reports titled Muslims in EU Cities. The series focuses on eleven cities in the European Union with significant Muslim populations: Amsterdam, Antwerp, Berlin, Copenhagen, Hamburg, Leicester, Marseille, Paris, Rotterdam, Stockholm, and the London borough of Waltham Forest.

Muslims in Berlin is available online at www.soros.org/initiatives/home.

###

Active in more than 70 countries, the Open Society Institute works to build vibrant and tolerant democracies whose governments are accountable to their citizens. Working with local communities, the Open Society Institute supports justice and human rights, freedom of expression and access to public health and education.