Digital Gallery - Street Art, Sneak Peek into a Future Museum, and lots of Food

A two-week summer school experience summarized in pictures

We invite you to explore the summer school 2022 through the photos' highlights. The program was full of diverse activities, site visits, and intercultural events.

Our trusted partner Eva, the founder of Alternative Cologne Tours, took us to the heart of street art in Cologne: A site visit to the neighborhood Ehrenfeld. We walked on the empty streets on a hot Sunday* and enjoyed the numerous street art pieces on buildings, garages, and power stations. Every tour is unique and offers new art pieces to explore since street artists always have their finger on the pulse of time and express their ideas through stickers, painted plates, graffiti, murals and so many more. Dive with us into the creative world of Cologne's street art.

*In Germany Sundays are dedicated to leisure time and quiet time for rest. People usually go for walks or other quiet activities outdoors and replenish their energy for the upcoming week. Shopping areas are closed except for cafés and restaurants.

Migration is an essential part of Germany's history from the 1960s until the present day. Today's German population is incredibly diverse in terms of national and cultural identities, languages, and cultures. Thus, a visit to the Documentation Center DOMiD (Documentation Center and Museum of Migration in Germany) was more than suitable considering the topic "Equality of Opportunity". We met Sandra Vacca, project leader at DOMiD, who talked about the history of the Documentation Center and presented the vision of the Migration Museum whose opening is planned for 2027 in Cologne. She took us on a tour through the depot and magazines and showed us Germany’s largest collection of objects and testimonials about the diverse history of migration. We heard stories of migrants from Turkey and Italy, saw real objects that migrants used in their day-to-day life, and felt the histories connected to them. Our discussions and perspectives on un/equal opportunities were extremely enriched. 

2022 marks 60 years since the Recruitment Agreement between the Federal Republic of Germany and Turkey. The motto of the 60-year-anniversary explains the development and understanding of migration history: "We called for workers, and people came". Since 2019 public funding is confirmed to build the “House of Immigration Society” in Cologne – an official acknowledgment and appreciation of the German migration society and the efforts of DOMiD. Learning about their activities and achievements was definitely one of the highlights of this year’s summer school program.

The Cologne Summer School experience is among other things quite yummy as well! For the traditional part of the program – the international dinner – every participant brought a typical local dish from their home country and shared how with whom and on what occasion it is eaten. The motto of the evening was "Traditional German Abendbrot". Typically, the German dinner consists of different bread types, butter, or another dip like cream cheese, and toppings like ham, cheese, pickles, tomatoes, or any other vegetable your heart desires. So do not be surprised when you come to Germany and people do not cook warm meals for dinner but enjoy the varieties of bread and baking. If you hear the word "Abendbrot" (literally meaning "evening bread") be prepared for quick and easy sandwich assembling.

The World Café took place during the anniversary weekend of Cologne Summer Schools when former participants of the past 9 editions of the annual Cologne Summer School project reunited and caught up with their former peers. This networking activity was particularly enjoyable and provided an easy get-to-know-each-other opportunity for present and former CSS students. Follow this link for more info about the anniversary event.