The German Diversity Day has grown exponentially since 2013 and this year’s campaign was the most widespread yet with over 2.500 individual activities taking place in over 700 organizations. These numbers are particularly significant in the face of the worrisome trends that have been building in Germany and throughout Europe in the past several years. While the voices against a multifaceted society have been growing louder, it is clear that those who continue to believe in an open and inclusive society are many more in number, and capable of being equally as visible. The resonance which the German Diversity Day continues to find is ultimately proof of a society in which freedom of speech, mutual respect, and above all a deep appreciation of diversity are fundamentally shared values.

We are incredibly delighted to have reached over 5 Million employees in this year with the initiative. However, we are even more delighted to see how much creative energy and willpower continues to be put into each and every activity. Even in our seventh year coordinating this initiative we continue to be surprised and impressed by entirely new types of activities. Some wonderful examples of this are the Center for Military History and Social Sciences of the Bundeswehr in Potsdam (Zentrum für Militärgeschichte und Sozialwissenschaften der Bundeswehr in Potsdam) shine a spotlight on the history as well as the current circumstances of Muslim soldiers in the German military, as well as the municipal utilities of the city Düsseldorf who sent their employees on a Diversity-parcourse which tackled varying dimensions of diversity in an emotionally appealing manner. For example, employees had the opportunity to try on a suit which simulates the effects of aging in order to be able to empathize better with elderly co-workers.

The seventh German Diversity Day is behind us now, but we are sure that its effects will continue to be visible in many workplaces across the country and so we are already looking forward coordinating the eight German Diversity Day on May 26^th, 2020.