The work of UWO in Germany
For us in UNITED WORLD ORGANISATION the word of integration is more than just a term, it is part of our self-conception. Integration always depends on two parties. For one of course the people migrating here, on the other hand us people who live here. It is on us to lend them a helping hand. Integration means a lot of possibilities.
2024 can come!
After some nice activities in 2023 such as repeated participation in the Come Together Cup, the Christopher Street Day (sponsored by the KölschCrew) and the volunteer day, we are already planning for the coming year. Of course, these events are also on our list to present ourselves as an aid organization and diligently collecting donations. But we are already impressed by a very special project: together with the director Brian Michaels and the artist Kane Kampmann, a top-class theater evening awaits you! Stay tuned, more details will follow soon.
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Here are a few moresmall impressions from 2023:
Ukrainian Christmas
Ukrainian Christmas traditionally takes place on January 6th and 7th. Unfortunately, this year it was a very sad Christmas for many refugees. Women and children are often separated from men and fathers who are fighting for their freedom and their lives back home.
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So we from the aid organization UWO organized a small party -along with good Food, great gifts for the kids and a great sermon. Thanks to all helpers!
Christmas and New Years Eve
In December 2022 we presented our aid organization at the Christmas market on Chlodwigplatz. In our project hut various clubs from Cologne could introduce themselves.
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At the same time we were planning an important project. Celebrating Christmas and New Year's Eve away from friends and family isn't nice. That's why we organized a Ukrainian Christmas celebration for the Ukrainian refugees - to welcome, distract and catch them!
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Cologne integration
Now that many of the refugee Ukrainian families can speak German a little better, our Cologne aid organization has one in December '22 little brewery tour done with them. The participants learned a lot about the history of our city, the Kölsch, the breweries and the carnival.
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The whole thing cost nothing but was a huge fun!
General help
Since beginning of war we support refugees with every bit. We support relocations, provide administrative assistance, translations and even stuff for the first flat here.
But since we aren´t that many persons and everybody still has his own job(s), we are a bit limited. Still we do whatever is possible. We were really pleased to experience such a huge support by German population!
Visiting a police station
Police station in Cologne-Kalk invited UWO to visit them with a group of kids. Officers showed them around and the kids received some gifts.
Especially the police car and the motorbike were exciting to see for the kids. And they were wondering about how heavy the police uniform is!
But most important side effect was to see how excellent the police colors match to the colors on Ukranian flag!
Visit of chocolate museum
Just in time to the children´s festival we arrived at the chocolate museum in Cologne. Fortunately the museum carried the costs for the tickets!
The mothers and their children loved to explore the museum and especially the chocolate factory was celebrated by them. But the highlight for every sweet tooth was, of course, the huge chocolate fountain!
By that UWO managed to distract them a bit from all the horrible war news in their home country.
Come-Together-Cup
On Ascension Day UWO took part in Come-Together-Cup. Our women´s team was supposed to get us the popular trophy.
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The team consisted of UWO Members, volunteers and Ukranian refugees, what we were really happy about.
Unfortunately our team didn´t have any chance to practice before, so we lost.
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But the most important thing was having fun anyway. And that we all had!
Lunch in the "Chamber of terror"
The brewhouse Schreckenskammer (Chamber of terror) opened its beergarden especially for us. So the UNITED WORLD ORGANISATION welcomed around 50 Ukranians and their children and invited them for drinks and Schnitzel.
Tourist guide Christine from Stadtgeschichten Köln told them a lot about the city and created a lively exchange by that. Especially the Cologne brewhouses might hold some surprises for those who land up there unknowingly.
But our guests now are prepared! Another point about integration.;-)