Press conference - Presentation of the monitoring report

The press conference followed by a panel discussion provided a platform for an exchange on current NaDiRa research findings on racist attitudes, experiences of discrimination in Germany and the associated institutional challenges.

After the official welcome by Dr. Noa K. Ha, the scientific director of DeZIM, who emphasized the connection between racism and migration as well as the role of DeZIM as a bridge between racism and migration research, Özcan Karadeniz, DeZIM consultant for community outreach, led through the program.

Aylin Mengi, co-author of the NaDiRa monitoring report and research associate at NaDiRa, and Dr. Cihan Sinanoğlu, head of NaDiRa, presented the function and significance of the project. They explained the methodology of the report and provided insights into the composition of the NaDiRa panel, the categorization of the panel participants, the data collection and the underlying items. They also presented the most important findings of the short report:

• Racist attitudes are still widespread in Germany.
• Discrimination is an everyday experience for people marked by racism.
• Frequent experiences of discrimination are associated with increased psychological stress.
• Trust in state institutions is declining, especially among those affected by discrimination.

Following the presentations, the Q&A session offered journalists the opportunity to discuss individual aspects and findings in greater depth. This was followed by a lively panel discussion with experts from the media, academia and politics, including

• Ferda Ataman, Independent Federal Commissioner for Anti-Discrimination
• Karen Taylor, Chairwoman of the Federal Conference of Migrant Organizations
• Stephan Anpalagan, journalist and author
• Prof. Dr. Naika Foroutan, DeZIM Director

Among other things, the discussion focused on how racist discrimination manifests itself in different areas of life and what political measures are needed to overcome structural inequalities. The importance of anti-discrimination strategies, legal frameworks and the responsibilities of institutions and the media were discussed in particular detail.

The different professional perspectives enabled a multi-layered exchange.

Finally, visitors were able to enter into a direct dialog with the experts in a further round of questions and actively participate in the discussion. The event ended with further discussions and a variety of networking opportunities over catering.

Further information on the study can be found here: "Hidden patterns, visible consequences. Racism and discrimination in Germany".