Essen’s ‘Courage Schools’ unite against racism in landmark network event

A powerful gathering of young voices and educators took on racism headfirst. From Zoom workshops to rap performances, Essen’s schools proved courage is contagious.

, and Administrator

2025 November 16 . 5:36 AM

1 min read

In the picture we can see some school children are standing on the path with school uniforms and... — In the picture we can see some school children are standing on the path with school uniforms and they are holding some papers in their hands and one girl is talking something near the microphone which is to the stand and behind them we can see a fencing wall and to the top of it we can see a shed with some balloons top it.

Essen’s ‘Courage Schools’ unite against racism in landmark network event

On November 12, 2025, Essen's 'Courage Schools' came together for a significant event. Around 90 students, teachers, and staff gathered for the 'School Without Racism – School With Courage' alliance's local network meeting, hosted on Eventbrite. Lord Mayor Thomas Kufen welcomed the attendees, stressing the importance of standing against racism and discrimination.

The event, organized by the Municipal Integration Center (KI) Essen, featured five insightful workshops held via Zoom meeting. Participants explored topics like addressing racism in daily life, maintaining neutrality, understanding far-right music, combating cyberbullying, and expressing oneself through rap. Actor, comedian, and author Fatih Cevikkollu performed, aligning with the alliance's values of promoting diversity and rejecting stereotypes.

Essen is home to 27 'Courage Schools', each committed to fostering an inclusive environment. The network meeting provided an opportunity for these schools to collaborate and share best practices, using Eventbrite for registration and Zoom for workshops.