All posts filed under: Statue of Peace

Statue of Peace Đồng Mai in the Bonn Women's Museum

Statue of Peace “Đồng Mai” at the Women’s Museum in Bonn

Published by hkim

On June 28, 2025, the Statue of Peace “Đồng Mai” was solemnly unveiled in the courtyard of the Women’s Museum in Bonn, Germany. From now on, it will be a permanent part of the exhibition and serves as a clear statement for a feminist culture of remembrance. At the same time, it stands as a reminder of colonial violence, military exploitation, and the suffering of the so-called “comfort women.” The Journey of the Statue of Peace “Đồng Mai” The name Đồng Mai (銅梅) originates from Vietnamese, combining the symbolic power of the resilient plum blossom (Mai) with the permanence of bronze (Đồng). This combination represents the unshakable strength and perseverance of the survivors to whom the Statue of Peace is dedicated. Previously, “Đồng Mai” was part of the temporary exhibition “Art Against Forgetting” at the NS Documentation Center in Cologne. From March 8 to June 30, 2025, it was displayed in the center’s outdoor area, adding an artistic perspective on colonial and sexualized violence to the traveling exhibition “The Third World in the Second World …

Youth and Education Project: “Share your Solidarity!”

Published by hkim

Learning, Remembering, and Taking Action Together: “Share your Solidarity!” The project “Share your Solidarity!” enabled young people aged 12 to 24 to engage with the history of the “comfort women” and to draw strength and inspiration for their own acts of solidarity. What was the project about? The project provided a safe space for young people from Berlin to come together, discover commonalities, and appreciate differences. Creative activities such as crocheting and cooking together fostered openness and a sense of community. At the same time, participants deeply engaged with the history of the “comfort women” through museum tours, film screenings, and visits to the Statue of Peace. They developed a deeper understanding of remembrance culture, global injustices, and resistance. Their insights into solidarity and empowerment were expressed through a joint artistic work, which was presented at a celebratory closing event that also served as a year-end celebration. This event created a warm atmosphere for participants, their families, activists, and organizations to celebrate connection and togetherness. Key themes of the “Share your Solidarity!” project: Activities A …

Unveiling of the Statue of Peace “Đồng Mai” in front of the NS Documentation Center in Cologne

Published by hkim

After the Mayor of Cologne initially prohibited the installation of the Statue of Peace “Đồng Mai” in front of the NS Documentation Center, the statue will now be unveiled on March 8 as part of the International Women’s Day rally and will remain there for three months. Đồng Mai (銅梅) (Vietnamese) combines the symbolism of the resilient plum blossom (Mai) with the enduring strength of bronze (Đồng), representing the unshakable strength, beauty, and perseverance of the Statues of Peace. Đồng Mai is the sister statue of Ari (Armenian: “the brave”) in Berlin and Nujin (Kurdish: “new life”) in Kassel. The Statue of Peace “Đồng Mai” as part of the exhibition “Art Against Forgetting” rom March 8 to June 1, 2025, the NS Documentation Center Cologne (NS-DOK) will present the exhibition “Art Against Forgetting” as a supplement to the traveling exhibition “The Third World in the Second World War”. The exhibition sheds light on the often-overlooked consequences of World War II in Africa, Asia, and Oceania. Both the fascist Axis powers and the Allies forcibly recruited …

As part of the funding program “Educational Work in Schools on Colonialism and Responsibility” (BIKO) of the  Nord-Süd-Brücken Foundation, supported by the Berlin Senate Department for Education, Youth, and Family, the Korea Verband successfully implemented the project “Creating Asia-Pacific Spaces” an der Fritz-Karsen-Schule erfolgreich realisieren.

Educational Project: Creating Asia-Pacific Spaces

Published by hkim

As part of the funding program “Educational Work in Schools on Colonialism and Responsibility” (BIKO) of the  Nord-Süd-Brücken Foundation, supported by the Berlin Senate Department for Education, Youth, and Family, the Korea Verband successfully implemented the project “Creating Asia-Pacific Spaces” at the Fritz-Karsen School last year. The aim of the project was to close existing gaps in the Berlin school curriculum concerning the colonial and migration history of the Asia-Pacific region. It raised awareness among 12th-grade students at the Fritz-Karsen School School in Berlin-Neukölln about Germany’s historical responsibility and anti-Asian racism. Due to the positive feedback, the project now serves as a basis for developing a potential follow-up project: a training program for teachers. Background Interest in a critical examination of German colonial history is growing. The increased engagement and educational efforts regarding the colonization of the African continent and its devastating consequences to the present day is a welcome development. However, such efforts regarding the Asia-Pacific region are almost entirely absent. This is partly due to an undifferentiated conception of a vast cultural region in which …

The State Advisory Council for Participation Calls for Monument Protection for the Statue of Peace

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The State Advisory Council for Participation calls for monument protection for the Statue of Peace Ari in Moabit and the memorial for Sintizze and Romnja murdered under National Socialism at the Brandenburg Gate. In its resolution of 25 November 2024, the Council states with reference to the monuments that “[…] both must be protected as part of the common European cultural heritage of freedom and resistance against oppression in accordance with Articles 3 TEU, 167 TFEU, and the Cultural Property Protection Act (KGSG).” The State Advisory Council for Participation calls on the Senate Department for Urban Development, Building and Housing of the State of Berlin to work together with the relevant institutions to take measures for the permanent protection and preservation of the two endangered monuments, which commemorate victims of political persecution and abuse. Justification Both memorials make a significant contribution to preserving the memory of historical crimes and promoting freedom and justice. The measures are also based on the legal foundations of the European treaties (3 TEU, 167 TFEU) and the application of the …