Charity

In 2025, we are supporting a special project within the framework of the city partnership between Berlin-Mitte and Kyiv’s Shevchenkivskyi District in Ukraine. The initiative aims to strengthen civil society during challenging times and build lasting connections between young people.

Thanks to our financial support, together with other partners, a 14-day stay in Berlin-Mitte was made possible for ten Ukrainian students and two teachers.

Intensive Exchange with Ernst Reuter School

A key component of the program was the intensive exchange with Ernst Reuter School, a UNESCO Project School in Berlin-Mitte. The students participated in regular classes and were fully integrated into everyday school life. Through shared activities, they experienced meaningful personal encounters, intercultural exchange, and the opportunity to form new friendships – laying the foundation for a long-term partnership between the two schools.

What the Students Experienced in Berlin

In addition to everyday school life, the young people enjoyed a varied program:

• sports activities in cooperation with the district sports association
• visit to the Reichstag
• guided tour of the Bernauer Straße Memorial
• city tour including a visit to the Humboldt Forum
• kite festival at Tempelhofer Feld
• hike to Teufelsberg
• high ropes course at Nordbahnhof
• visit to the zoo

There was also time for the students to explore Berlin independently and gather their own impressions.

Dr. Jenny De la Torre Castro founded the Jenny De la Torre Foundation in 2002 to provide medical care for homeless people in Berlin. With the support of the Berlin-Mitte district authority, she found a suitable building and opened a modern health center in September 2006. Generous donations made it possible to purchase the property, allowing the foundation to focus entirely on its patients.

At the health center, homeless people receive comprehensive support, including medical care (with general medical, dental, and ophthalmological services), clothing, meals, and access to sanitary facilities. These services are complemented by legal, social, and psychological counseling.

Support is provided in an unbureaucratic manner, creating a safe and welcoming environment where people can rebuild trust and develop new perspectives for a fresh start. A particular focus is also placed on preventing homelessness before it occurs.

A dedicated team of volunteer physicians from various medical specialties provides regular consultations, supported by dentists and medical trainees. Every day, approximately 50 to 80 people receive care and assistance.

Since the center opened in 2006, numerous individuals have received long-term support, and many have been successfully helped to secure permanent accommodation.

“We must not give up on homeless people; otherwise, we give up on ourselves.”

Dr. Jenny de la Torre Castro 

                You can find further information HERE.

Another project we support is Café Leo, run by Wendepunkt gGmbH at Leopoldplatz in the Wedding district.

The newly built pavilion is a vibrant meeting place in the neighborhood and, in addition to offering affordable coffee and small snacks, primarily provides space for encounters and exchange. Through a variety of sociocultural activities for children, families, and seniors, Wendepunkt gGmbH strengthens neighborhood ties, integration, and community life at Leopoldplatz.

Integration and Support for Families

A special focus is placed on supporting children from refugee families. Language development and a sense of community are encouraged through playful activities, and parents are actively involved. At Café Leo, people craft, bake, and celebrate together — allowing integration to take place in a very practical way in everyday neighborhood life.

Advice and Support On Site

At the INFOPOINTS, residents can discuss their questions and concerns. Regular consultation hours and the plaza caretakers also ensure communication, order, and support in everyday matters.

Culture for Everyone

With concerts and cultural events at Leopoldplatz, Café Leo brings together people from diverse backgrounds. The free open-air events encourage encounters, exchange, and a vibrant sense of community in the neighborhood.

You can find further information HERE.

 

The Stephanus School has been an important place of learning for children and young people with intellectual and multiple disabilities since 1990. In 12 classes, students receive structured full-day instruction from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., complemented by therapeutic services. Educational professionals provide additional care before and after classes as well as during school holidays in order to promote the students’ independence and recognition.

35th Anniversary Celebration of Stephanus School

On July 11, 2025, Stephanus School celebrated its 35th anniversary — a significant milestone that we were pleased to support. During this festive occasion, we had the honor of presenting a very special gift this year: a MOTOmed.

The MOTOmed is a versatile movement training device that specifically helps to relax muscles, build endurance and strength, promote mobility, and improve coordination and overall well-being.

We are very pleased to be able to make a valuable contribution to supporting the students in this way. Once again, we were impressed by the outstanding commitment of all the staff at Stephanus School. It is both a pleasure and a matter close to our hearts for us to continue supporting this special school in the future.

You can find further information HERE.

The annual summer camp at the Anna Lindh School in Berlin’s Wedding district has been a cherished tradition for more than 20 years. During the 2026 Summer Camp, sports and outdoor activities were combined with fun, adventure, and the joy of cooking together to highlight the importance of a healthy lifestyle.

Many Special Experiences

Participation in this special event was granted to students who had stood out through exceptional commitment and positive social behavior in everyday school life and who were nominated by their classmates. The program was filled with excursions into nature and visits to cultural sites such as the picturesque open-air museum with its historic buildings. A group hike took us up to the Berliner Hut, located at an altitude of over 2,000 meters. The breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains and valleys made the climb more than worthwhile.

This year’s highlights also included a rafting adventure on the icy-cold Ziller River and a ride on the Spieljochbahn cable car. After each day’s activities, the evenings were spent together enjoying cozy dinners in a warm and friendly atmosphere.

After seven unforgettable days, the trip came to an end, leaving everyone with lasting memories and excitement for next year’s adventure. WeihnachtsZauber Gendarmenmarkt GmbH would like to express its sincere gratitude to all the volunteers and supporters who made this journey possible. We are already looking forward to our next trip with the wonderful students of the Anna Lindh School. Special thanks go to the German Alpine Club (Deutscher Alpenverein) for generously sponsoring the overnight stay at the Berliner Hut for our students.

Twelve students from the “AG Erinnern” (Remembrance Working Group) at the Theodor Heuss Community School in Berlin-Moabit spent a week on a study trip to New Orleans, exploring the city’s French, Spanish, and especially German history. They saw the magnificent houses of wealthy immigrants and learned about the people who were abducted from Africa and forced into labor. At plantations along the Mississippi River, they learned about the history of enslavement.

At the German-American Cultural Center, the students learned how the history of German immigration is preserved — however, without adequately addressing the reality of slavery and the existence of Indigenous people. The group engaged in intensive discussions about historical responsibility: migration is often a matter of survival — both then and now. But history must be told in its entirety, including all its darker aspects. Only then can responsibility truly be taken.

“What hurts the victims most is not the cruelty of the oppressor, but the silence of the bystander.” (Elie Wiesel)

“Our trip helped me understand the deeper meaning of this quote. The journey was therefore another step in my personal development. Just as with the history of National Socialism, we must also share knowledge about slavery and colonialism with the people around us.”
(Anas, student in the AG Erinnern)

It was a very impressive and meaningful trip for the AG Erinnern of the Theodor Heuss Community School.

An interesting documentary about the journey can be found here:

For more than 10 years, Weihnachtszauber Gendarmenmarkt has proudly supported the Children’s Classical Music Gala at the Konzerthaus Berlin. This pre-Christmas concert, organized for daycare centers and schools from socially disadvantaged neighborhoods, is a very special highlight for the children as well as their teachers and educators. Singing Christmas carols together, enjoying warm waffles, and immersing themselves in the world of classical music inspires everyone involved and brings smiles and sparkling eyes to the children’s faces.

Fostering a Lasting Appreciation for Culture

The Children’s Classical Music Gala provides young people with access to cultural experiences that many of them would otherwise rarely have the opportunity to enjoy. For numerous children, it is their first visit to the Konzerthaus Berlin and their first encounter with classical music.

Through engaging and age-appropriate activities, the children are introduced to music in a playful way and experience the unique atmosphere of the historic Konzerthaus at Gendarmenmarkt. These unforgettable moments spark curiosity, broaden horizons, and foster a lasting appreciation for music and culture.

Further information can be found HERE.

At the beginning of 2021, the district of Mitte sought a partnership with the Lideta district in Addis Ababa. After virtual exchanges and identifying shared challenges, the first in-person meeting took place in July to establish contacts and develop partnership projects. The Coordination Office for Municipal Development Policy and the Black Adult Education Center/Africa Academy of the Mitte District Office coordinate the partnership activities. Further information and the full travel report can be found HERE.