Forum at the Pfefferberg Theatre
“Painting a Realistic Picture of Germany”

At the Vorbereiten, Begleiten, Ankommen (Prepare. Support. Arrive.) forum at the Pfefferberg Theatre in Berlin, participants in the “Pre-integration and Transition Management” project came together to take stock of their efforts after three years. One thing’s for sure: they plan to include more countries in the project going forward.
 

By Annette Walter

Her trips to India and Mexico were eye-opening experiences for Goethe-Institut President Gesche Joost. The point was to win over skilled workers abroad for Germany, and many of the candidates turned out to be well educated, curious, and eager to learn everything they can about Germany. The delegation to India included Olaf Scholz, who was still Chancellor at the time, as well as the former Minister of Economic Affairs Robert Habeck and former Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. In Mexico City, Joost met a well-trained surgeon from there who later ended up working at Berlin’s Charité Hospital. “He’s exactly the kind of person we need here,” she said.

When Joost got back to Berlin, a funny episode proved her point. Whilst chatting with her Indian physiotherapist, who was treating her after a meniscus operation, she asked her where she’d learnt her impeccable German: From a course at the Goethe-Institut!

Lively discussions and workshops

Joost shared these experiences in her opening address at the Vorbereiten, Begleiten, Ankommen (Prepare. Support. Arrive.) forum in Berlin. This two-day conference in Berlin was held to present and assess the results of a three-year “Pre-integration and Transition Management” project, which was launched in 2022 to optimize the integration of skilled workers from abroad. Panel discussions, brief presentations and workshops were also held to work up recommendations for the project going forward. The forum brought together actors in politics, research, business and migrant self-organizations, who engaged in some lively discussions.

Call for a ministry of migration

Naika Foroutan, a professor at Humboldt University and director of the German Center for Integration and Migration Research (DeZIM), provided some exciting theoretical foundations for the conference. Studies show that the part of the German population that is not driven by grievance actually wants a pragmatic, forward-looking policy to steer immigration – and by no means an amplification of the prevailing anti-migrant rhetoric. “Arguments that aren’t legally viable and would first have to be negotiated at European level, such as setting up detention centres and summarily closing the borders, undermine faith in the political process,” bemoaned Foroutan.

It generally takes two years or so before, say, an Iranian nurse is allowed to enter Germany. German migration policy is disjointed and inefficient, says the researcher, and the country needs a ministry of migration. In her opinion, a circular migration model with revolving-door borders would be a forward-looking approach. One key question is: “Who prepares people for the prevailing political climate in Germany?” So far, the project has involved partnerships in countries primarily populated by “Black, Brown and Muslim people”.“ We have to dispel the misconception that white people are coming.” She also pointed out that only 3.6 per cent of the world’s population migrate: “Roughly 96 per cent of the world’s population live and die in the country where they were born. It's not as if the whole world were heading to Germany.”

Welcome Coaches for new arrivals

“Welcome Coaches”, who cover the whole of Germany as well as working in various other countries, play a key role in the project. One such coach is Lisa Beck, whose latest mission took her to India. “There was a very nice event in Bangalore about first steps in Germany,” she said. At these events, she is often asked questions about flat-hunting, local public transport, taxes and whether foreign driving licences are recognized in Germany – as well as questions about such mundane matters as German food. “What I always find really exciting is engaging in conversation with people,” she adds.

Beck and her colleagues serve as contacts for new arrivals from countries outside the EU who’ve come to Germany on a visa for professional or personal reasons.

Virtual reality tools show everyday life in Germany

A number of Goethe-Institute staff members shared positive accounts of their work in pre-integration and transition management around the world. Sonali Sahgal, the regional coordinator for South Asia, presented programmes that are up and running in Sri Lanka, where would-be migrants learn about Germany and its culture and get support in their efforts to learn the language. With the aid of virtual reality tools, those hoping to join family members who’ve already settled in Germany are shown scenes from everyday life in Germany, even about such ordinary things as taking the bus, and acquainted with some of the challenges facing newcomers, such as taking care of administrative formalities: “Some people want to know whether they can take their parrot with them or how much a haircut costs in Germany,” says Sahgal.

Since 2023, Lorianne Meyer has been running the pre-integration project at Goethe-Institut locations in ten sub-Saharan African countries, including Kenya and Cameroon. Part of the programme is about encouraging would-be migrants to compare and contrast how they imagine their future in Germany with selected readings in migrant literature, which participants did in a two-day workshop in Abidjan that involved in-depth discussions and interactive formats as well. Meyer points out that “fear of discrimination keeps many people from fully realizing their potential”. Whereas people can talk openly about their concerns in a sensitively moderated anti-discrimination workshop.

Taking people by the hand

Sylvie Nantcha, who chairs the African Network of Germany, keeps in touch with immigrants to Germany from Cameroon and Nigeria, among other countries: “People need support right from the start,” she said. “They need to be taken by the hand – for instance when it comes to getting their qualifications officially recognized.” Barbara Gessler, head of the Representation of the European Commission in Germany, agrees, adding, “It’s important to us to focus on the people themselves and to contribute to the prosperity of the population in Europe. This is a key concern of mine.”

Christoph Mohr, head of DaF-Vernetzung (GFL Networking) in the Goethe-Institut’s Language Department, finds it important “not to tout Germany as a land flowing with milk and honey, but to paint a realistic picture”. And the first place to look for such a realistic picture is on the web portal “Mein Weg nach Deutschland” (My Way to Germany).

Staying on the ball after arrival

Four in-depth workshops held on the second day focussed on subjects such as successful “pre-integration networking” in India and Morocco, on-the-job training prospects, skilled labour strategies in German municipalities, and pre-integration orientation courses.

How can we drive home to employers that making preparatory arrangements for immigrants before they enter Germany is not enough – that they need to stay on the ball afterwards too? Athanasia Mantziou, managing director of the Integration Council in Bergisch Gladbach, stressed the need to support local integration councils and volunteers and to involve them more fully in meeting this challenge.

Helmut Frielinghaus, the Goethe-Institut’s regional coordinator for Germany, emphasized the importance of spreading positive narratives in migrant networks. He felt the complexity of the migration process was vividly reflected in the workshops held at the forum.

One concern raised time and again during the discussions was the need to protect new arrivals from attempts to defraud them, for example, on online housing platforms.

The closing discussion was about future prospects. A follow-up project on a larger scale is in the works. It will include three more countries, namely Uzbekistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh, and will apply many of the findings and ideas expressed at the forum.