On Saturday 12 September at 12 noon, Mayor Knut Kunze will open the Festival of Cultures in the market square, thereby launching the 2026 Intercultural Weeks in Chemnitz. Saxony’s Commissioner for Integration, Martin Modschiedler, and Superintendent Frank Manneschmidt will also welcome the guests.
The three-week series of events, running from 12 September to 3 October under the patronage of Lord Mayor Sven Schulze, is entitled “Living Diversity – Shaping the Future” this year.
The Festival of Cultures on 12 September, running from 12 noon to 8 pm, will feature more than 50 information stands, offering numerous opportunities for people to meet and exchange ideas. The now traditional stage programme will be organised by residents of Chemnitz, both with and without a migrant background. Visitors can also learn dances from different cultures in workshops. Extraordinary culinary experiences – dishes from Kenya, Venezuela, Hungary, Ukraine, Vietnam, Madagascar, Turkey and many more – will also be on offer.
Over the following three weeks, residents of Chemnitz and visitors to the city can look forward to a varied programme featuring theatre, film, music, discussions, sport and workshops. The full programme for the Intercultural Weeks is available at www.chemnitz.de/ikw.
The Intercultural Weeks in Chemnitz are organised under the leadership of the City of Chemnitz’s Migration Officer, in close cooperation with the Migration Advisory Board, the City of Chemnitz Social Services Department, the association AGIUA e. V. Migration, Social and Youth Work, the Lila Villa Women’s Centre within the akCente e. V. association, and with the support of numerous Chemnitz-based associations and initiatives.
The event is funded by tax revenue based on the budget adopted by the Saxon State Parliament (Guideline on Integrative Measures, SAB), from grants in accordance with the City of Chemnitz’s guidelines on the awarding of grants in the field of art and culture, through a grant from the Bürgerstiftung für Chemnitz e. V., as well as through sponsorship from eins energie in Saxony and numerous donations.
Etelka Kobuß, Migration Officer for the City of Chemnitz and the main organiser of the series of events, said: “Even though securing funding for the festival proved particularly difficult this year, we are committed to this important event. It is more important than ever to highlight the successes of integration and the work of the organisations involved in integration efforts, and to facilitate encounters. It is a festival for everyone, whether or not they have a migrant background.”
Fifty years ago, in 1975, the German Bishops’ Conference, the Evangelical Church in Germany and the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Germany launched Intercultural Week. Chemnitz has also been taking part in the series of events since 1991 and has been adding its own unique touches ever since.
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