Hope festival for families: music, games and colorful encounters in Potsdam!

Hope festival for families: music, games and colorful encounters in Potsdam!

A happy get-together is on the agenda next Saturday, July 11, 2025, in the youth club at Georg-Hermann-Allee 134 in Potsdam. The courtyard festival for families, organized by the Soziale Stadt ProPotsdam gGmbH, aims to promote exchange and encounters in the neighborhood. With free entry, for which donations are of course welcome, visitors can expect a colorful offering that won't let you get bored.

From 4 p.m., children can live out their urge to move in a hands-on game with Chica, while the adults chat comfortably over coffee and cake. It continues at 5 p.m. with a musical highlight: The “Grooving Smoothies” perform and promise to create a great atmosphere with their mix of jazz, Latin, klezmer and Balkan. There are also entertaining craft activities, face painting and the opportunity to try out different toys for the little guests - there is something for everyone!

Classic meets neighborhood: musical support in Schlaatz

Parallel to the Hoffest, the “Schlaatz meets Klassik” project, which was launched by the Soziale Stadt Potsdam association and KIBUZ, is entering its next round. The goal? To introduce young people in Schlaatz to the joy of classical music and at the same time support Alissa Kravtsova, a talented vocal soloist and music teacher. She herself is part of this book project, which not only gives her the opportunity to further her education through further training such as that of chamber singer Eva-Maria Opitz, but also to promote the development of a youth choir.

The committed mother teaches children and young people in the House of Generations and Cultures and plans performances by the choir at special places in Schlaatz, which are intended to strengthen the connection between youth and culture.

Music as a bridge in the migration society

Another aspect that is important in the community is the influence of music on social interaction, especially in a diverse migration society, as can also be observed in Potsdam. Music often crosses cultural and linguistic boundaries and can be an important medium for uniting different identities. The West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, founded by Daniel Barenboim, follows the motto “Equal in Music” and shows how music can both create connections and reinforce distinctions.

Culture is a complex concept that can act as a unifying element as well as helping to create differences. In this context, it is essential that social work faces the demands of cultural participation and advocates for the interests of migrant groups in order to promote equal opportunities and reduce prejudices. Diversity-conscious approaches in social and cultural work focus on the diversity of realities of life and require a differentiated view of cultural identities.

Whether at the Hoffest for families or as part of projects such as “Schlaatz meets Klassik”, music plays an essential role in social interaction and integration. In this way, not only is the community strengthened, but it also contributes to respectful and appreciative cooperation.