Statement by the Pankow District Advisory Council for Participation and Integration on World Refugee Day 2025

World Refugee Day is celebrated worldwide on June 20 — a day when we pause to remember the millions of people who have been forced to flee their homes as a result of war, persecution, climate crises and poverty. There are also many refugees living in Berlin and in particular in our Pankow district, who are confronted every day with the challenges of arriving, waiting, uncertainty and often difficult access to participation and protection.

The Pankow District Advisory Council for Participation and Integration acknowledges the central importance of this day and expresses its express solidarity with all people who are fleeing or who already live in our neighborhoods. Pankow is home to numerous accommodation for refugees — emergency shelters, communal accommodation and transitional homes — in which many families and individuals live under sometimes precarious conditions. Their voices, needs and rights must be heard, protected and strengthened.

Especially in view of a social mood in which refugees are increasingly confronted with racist, dehumanizing narratives, it is our democratic duty to take a clear stance: Fleeing is not a crime. Asylum is a human right. Solidarity has no origin.

We demand:
- decent accommodation for all refugees — even with increasing access figures,
- lasting social and psychological support, particularly for vulnerable groups such as children, single parents and traumatized people,
- reliable access to education, language, healthcare and the labour market,
- as well as genuine participation in social and political decision-making processes.

Pankow is a diverse district. This diversity is a strength.
As a district advisory board, we are committed to ensuring that Pankow remains a safe place for everyone, regardless of origin, religion, residence status or skin color.

On World Refugee Day, we remember not only the suffering, but also our responsibility — as people, as a district, as a society.

Pankow stands for humanity.

Pankow District Advisory Council for Participation and Integration