A festival of cultures: diversity and peace celebrated in Senftenberg!

A festival of cultures: diversity and peace celebrated in Senftenberg!

On Friday, September 26, 2025, the colors of many cultures were once again celebrated in the “Pegasus” culture and leisure center in Senftenberg. The fourth Festival of Cultures attracted numerous visitors under the motto “FOR IT! – For peaceful coexistence in the Oberspreewald-Lausitz district”. A highlight of the day was the opening by important personalities, including Diana Gonzalez-Olivo, the integration commissioner for the state of Brandenburg, Alexander Erbert, the district councilor, and Andreas Pfeiffer, the mayor of Senftenberg. The event took place from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. in a lively and friendly atmosphere.

The variety of activities was impressive: from an international cake table that presented culinary delights from different countries to an exciting belly dancing workshop that was very well received by the audience. A puppet show and football games also played a central role in the program. Young and old alike were able to let their creativity run wild with various offerings.

A sign of togetherness

A special moment was the wishing tree, where visitors could leave wishes for a successful life together. There was also the bubble tree, which was donated by the Sparkasse Niederlausitz and is intended to be placed in a public place or a community-oriented facility. Such initiatives show how important it is to bring the different communities in the district together and promote dialogue.

The status of the Partnership for Democracy, supported by the Federal Ministry for Education, Family, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, also attracted great interest. The positive feedback from Melanie Hesse, the district's integration officer, underlined the relevance of the festival, which has been celebrated annually since 2022. “We want to promote democracy, peace, respect and tolerance, and that can only be done together,” emphasized Hesse.

Outlook for the future

The festival of cultures will be repeated next year. The anticipation was already noticeable, and after the great success of the event, the organizational team would like to thank everyone involved, especially the supporting companies such as Kommunale Wohnungsgesellschaft mbH im Lausitzer Seenland, Sparkasse Niederlausitz and REWE Familie Radke.

And even though the festival in Senftenberg is already history, the memories and the meaning of harmonious coexistence in the Oberspreewald-Lausitz district remain alive and popular. The neighboring community of Großräschen is now planning its own Festival of Cultures for September 28, 2024. There, exhibitions and a varied supporting program will further strengthen the coexistence of cultures. Anyone who would like to take a look at this year's topics will also find the exhibitions “World Peace, World Religions, World Ethic” and “I Like OSL” very exciting.

As the event in Großräschen proves, such festivals are not only an opportunity to celebrate, but also a valuable platform to exchange stories and learn from each other. The anticipation for the upcoming events is already palpable, and the community is ready to write another chapter of cultural diversity.

More on this OSL online and Altdöbern office.