Intercultural bridges: Turkish-Islamic association promotes cohesion

Intercultural bridges: Turkish-Islamic association promotes cohesion

A promising dialogue about cultural bridges began in Tirschenreuth. Celal Öztürk, the chairman of the Turkish-Islamic Cultural Association Marktredwitz, met with District Administrator Roland Grillmeier in the district office on July 3, 2025. Together with Mehmet Aslan, chairman of the Waldsassen Turkish-Islamic Cultural Association, they discussed the possibilities of expanding intercultural cooperation and promoting mutual respect. “We can build bridges between cultures,” explained Öztürk, emphasizing the importance of respectful cooperation. Upper Palatinate Echo reports that Öztürk has been active in German-Turkish friendship in the region for over 20 years and is proud to support the community through his bakery in Marktredwitz.

District Administrator Grillmeier praised the work of Öztürk and Aslan as particularly valuable in rural areas. He emphasizes the need for people from different backgrounds to talk to each other and work on joint projects. The conversation is planned as a start; Joint initiatives in the areas of culture, education and integration are to follow this year. A further exchange between the representatives has already been agreed, which shows that fertile ground for intercultural dialogue is being prepared here. Youth Network adds that the DITIB umbrella organization works with 896 local communities nationwide to offer Muslims space for their faith and to contribute to integration.

Integration through language mediation

Around three million people with a Turkish migration background live in Germany. This group represents one of the oldest and largest migrant communities. The members of this community bring diverse cultures with them and actively contribute to society. In many cases, the key to integration lies in learning the German language, which is of central importance not only for the labor market but also for political participation.

Öztürk sets a good example: His association works closely with integration courses that offer around 1,300 people a new perspective in language and literacy courses every year. In addition to language teaching, many Turkish language learners promote intercultural exchange and are often bridge builders between German and Turkish culture. Perfect German highlights that language learners are motivated to learn German at an advanced level and also show resilience in the face of discrimination and social exclusion.

The vision of shared learning and respectful coexistence is at the forefront of the efforts that Öztürk and Aslan are driving. The planned projects are not only intended to have a local impact, but also to cooperate across districts with the neighboring districts of Wunsiedel and Hof, which shows that the effort for intercultural exchange extends far beyond the city limits.