Kenyan Becomes Face of Diversity in Osnabrück

There’s a HUGE banner hanging at the Rathaus in Osnabrück with an African face on it. The face belongs to an amazing Kenyan lady who’s lived in Osnabrück for many many years.

Hellen Wambui Nintemann, I wrote about her last year for her entrepreneurial endeavours in serving Kenyan meals in the heart of Germany (read: Serving Kenyan Meals at the Heart of Europe). An entrepreneur, an actress and a wife. Hellen Nintemann has called Osnabrück for many years and when they decided to “reface” the city, she was ready to be part of it.

Osnabrück this year has decided to shift from advertising their punctuality as their strong point and instead showing off their diversity as their new strength. The project dubbed, “Osnabrück und du”, aims to help in integration of foreigners and to make those already living in Osnabrück comfortable living in the city.

At the launch of the banner which has been hanging at the front of the Rathaus since December 18th, the Oberbürgermeister (Mayor) Wolfgang Griesert, pointed out that, “Everyone is welcome in Osnabrück. We can all learn from one another and that makes us strong.” There are currently more than 140 diverse groups living in Osnabrück from different parts of the world.

The project kicked off this January and there are several events planned to encourage integration in Osnabrück. The project is financed by the EU Integration Fund. For more information on events and venues or even what the whole project is about and what you can do to be part of it, check out their website: www.osnabrueck.de/integration