Action of the Integration Council

Fruit trees as a symbol against right-wing violence

"10+1 trees for victims of right-wing violence" - under this motto, the Integration Council of the city of Beckum planted 11 fruit trees in the orchard meadow near the Westenfeuermarkt, labelled with steles of the donors.

12 September 2024 by Sandra Berges
Group picture
  • Together for diversity and tolerance: the participants at the edge of the planted fruit trees.

As part of the 2023 Festival of Cultures, the City of Beckum's Integration Council called for people to join forces to send a visible signal against right-wing violence. 11 donors were quickly found for the tree planting campaign. The 11 fruit trees have now been planted. The campaign, entitled "10+1 trees for victims of right-wing violence", is based on the "10+1 trees for the victims of the NSU" campaign organised by the NRW State Integration Council.

Crimes such as those in Hanau or Halle and the results of the elections in Thuringia and Saxony make it clear that racist thinking is spreading and the risk of right-wing extremist violence is increasing. Inhumane hate speech is spreading on the internet, death threats are being made against people from Islamic countries or of Jewish faith, activists, politicians and victims' advocates.

Trees stand in a row
The new fruit trees also stand for community growth.

At the press event at the freshly planted trees, the Chairman of the Beckum Integration Council, Mehmet Bilgic, explained:

"We want to set an example of respect and hope. Each tree stands not only for a life that was ended violently and far too early, but also for tolerance, diversity and humanity."

The number 11 results from 10 trees for the 10 victims of the NSU, 1 tree is dedicated to all named and unnamed victims of racist violence. The 11 trees planted in Beckum are intended to visualise the scale of these crimes. At the same time, a place of remembrance is to be created to send a strong signal of resistance within Beckum against right-wing extremist terror. "It is our duty to give the victims a face. We are also remembering the victims of Kassel, Halle and Hanau," emphasised Ergül Aydemir from the State Integration Council. The initiative of the State Integration Council has already been followed by 23 cities in North Rhine-Westphalia.

In Beckum, apple, pear and cherry trees were planted in a row on the orchard meadow between Dalmerweg and Westpark and labelled with information pillars. The fruit is free for all Beckum residents to eat.

The trees came from the following donors:

Stele
The trees were provided with steles.

Integration Council of the city of Beckum, CDU parliamentary group in the city council of Beckum, SPD local association Beckum, Bündnis 90/ Die Grünen Beckum, council parliamentary group of the Freie Wähler Gemeinschaft Beckum, FDP local association Beckum, Arab-German Association Beckum e. V., German-Turkish Cultural Association Beckum e. V., Mescid-i Aksa Mosque Neubeckum, Orthopädie Venne Beckum, private donation.