Like a rough family

The burger center/multi-generation house in the north of forchheim has been in existence for ten years now. That was a reason to celebrate. Around 400 guests came to experience how colorful life has become around the facility with information booths, hands-on activities and a varied festive event.

The president of the government of upper franconia, heidrun piwernetz, saw for herself how the neighborhood has developed and praised the director of the facility, kathrin reif, and the many active people who have enriched the district. This was also made clear by the kindergarten and senior groups during their musical and sporting performances.

District administrator hermann ulm (CSU) said: "i always like to come here again. Because the burgerzentrum multigenerational house not only does good things in the immediate vicinity, but also radiates throughout the entire district."

Supporting and sticking together: these are the goals of the burgerzentrum-mehrgenerationenhaus.

Mayor uwe kirschstein (SPD) stated in his speech: "the meaning of family is to connect with each other, to make each other strong. A family is usually made up of several generations, each of which brings its own special skills and challenges. If you think of family in a broader sense, you can also understand it as neighborhood." Today, it is often the social contacts outside one’s own family that have become important.

Pastor christian muschler spoke passionately about what successful integration can look like. "If we want to say what has happened in the last ten years, we can also call our burger center a meeting center. People of different cultures meet; people with and without disabilities meet; young and old people support each other as well. We were able to tell many stories of successful encounters today. Unfortunately, the integration debate is dominated by negative headlines. Our anniversary is also an occasion to talk about the success of integration."

The fact that the burgerzentrum has now become an intercultural counseling, meeting and service facility is thanks to the many cooperation partners and, above all, the commitment of the burghers themselves. It is above all the volunteers who welcome guests, guide new immigrants, introduce children to the joy of reading in the reading club, help out at the lunch table or explain the smartphone to senior citizens. The burgerzentrum is also a volunteer center and provides volunteers to more than 40 organizations and contributes to the cohesion of the changing society.