Chemnitz shows its face against the right - new poster with further portrait photos on the information container of the citizens' initiative

Over 400 citizens have so far taken part in the "Show your face against right-wing violence" campaign launched in Chemnitz under the auspices of the Workers' Welfare Association and with the support of the City of Chemnitz: A large number of Chemnitz citizens, including prominent Chemnitz residents such as the mayor and the city's long-serving theatre director, the superintendent of the Evangelical Lutheran Church and the city's long-serving commissioner for foreigners, have shown their commitment.The campaign was also supported by members of the state parliament, members of the Chemnitz City Council, co-founders of the citizens' initiative "Centre against the Right in Chemnitz" and, last but not least, CFC athletes. The participation of well-known musicians such as Jupiter Jones, Jennifer Rostock and Münchner Freiheit shows that the campaign has also gained respect, recognition and support beyond the region since its launch at the beginning of June.

The new portraits can be seen from Monday, 6 August at the container of the Bürgerinitiative Mitte gegen Rechts at the Roter Turm. Representatives of the media are cordially invited to an on-site visit to the information container on Monday, 6 August at 11 am for the presentation of the new poster.

The campaign was launched at the beginning of June: as part of the "Show your face against the right" project, the Arbeiterwohlfahrt Chemnitz e.V. (Workers' Welfare Association) invited people to the information container of the Mitte gegen Rechts citizens' initiative next to the Red Tower on 6 June to redesign the outdoor areas (PM 307 from 30.05.2012). Ines Vorsatz, Head of the Coordination Centre for the Local Action Plan for Democracy, Tolerance and a Cosmopolitan Chemnitz (LAP) at the City of Chemnitz and also present in the portrait on the poster, explained: "The poster with the portrait photos of committed Chemnitz residents, which was attached to the information container at the beginning of June, had unfortunately been severely damaged in recent weeks. The members of the Show your face against right-wing violence initiative are fighting back against this vandalism and have therefore decided not to replace the damaged banner with a new one, but instead to draw public attention to the damage with the message 'No playground for Nazis' and thus also to the fact that the campaign 'Show your face against the right - not just on 5 March' is openly addressing the issue.03.' will openly address the issue."

Unfortunately, this sticker has also been damaged in the meantime. Jürgen Tautz, Managing Director of the Chemnitz Workers' Welfare Association, which is in charge of the campaign, explains that the "No playground for Nazis" sticker is intended to encourage people to take a closer look and show civil courage. This will be emphatically supported by attaching portrait photos of other committed Chemnitz residents. Jürgen Tautz: "We cordially invite the people of Chemnitz to continue to participate in our campaign. Citizens who want to show civil courage publicly with their portrait photo in this way can send their photo to the email address info@chemnitz-zeigt-gesicht.de."

The project "Showing your face against right-wing violence" is funded by the federal programme "TOLERANCE SUPPORT - STRENGTHENING COMPETENCE" and will be on public display until 31 December 2012. A day of action is also planned at the Red Tower on 11 September.

Contact for information on the campaign: Arbeiterwohlfahrt Kreisverband Chemnitz und Umgebung e.V., Clara-Zetkin-Straße 1, 09111 Chemnitz - AWO Managing Director Jürgen Tautz, call 0371/ 6956100, e-mail: juergen.tautz@awo-chemnitz.de and Beatrice Conrad-Thiry, Management Assistant, call 0371/ 6956117, e-mail: beatrice.conrad-thiry@awo-chemnitz.de

Contact for information on the Local Action Plan for Democracy, Tolerance and a Cosmopolitan Chemnitz (LAP): Ines Vorsatz, LAP Coordination Office at the City of Chemnitz, Department 3, based at Bürgerhaus Am Wall, Düsseldorfer Platz 1, call 0371/488-1934, e-mail koordinierungsstelleLAP@stadt-chemnitz.de

Information online: http://www.chemnitz-zeigt-gesicht.de/ and http://www.chemnitz.de/chemnitz/de/buerger-rathaus/recht/lokaler-aktionsplan/index.html