The club "Bon Courage" has created an exhibition that focuses on marginalized outgroups.  The overall aim is to make people aware of discrimination and prejudice against people who differ from the majority in their outward appearance.


“People often assume that I am a troublemaker and that I see violence as a legitimate political means”, says a young woman who takes part in the new exhibition project about outgroups.  The exhibition was developed by a club called “Bon Courage”, based in the small town of Borna in Saxony.  The exhibition seeks to confront the visitors with prejudice against people who differ from the majority in their outward appearance.  The project was set up because many volunteers who work in initiatives to fight bigotry encounter rejection due to their appearance (e.g. clothes, punk hairstyle).

The exhibition portrays 30 people who look unusual - such as homeless persons or punks.  They are among the groups who often suffer discrimination and exclusion.  The participants of the project interviewed the 30 people in order to find out more about their personal circumstances.  The result: the exhibition plates juxtapose the pictures of “outsiders” with descriptions of their cultural, social and political activities.  So the visitor (hopefully) notices that there is a discrepancy between the prejudice against certain groups of people and their actual contribution to society - and perhaps some of the visitors will reflect about their own prejudices, too.  They may even realize that their previous assumptions were wrong. 

The project will help apply the concept of bigotry and hatred to the local community or neighborhood.  The exhibition will be accompanied by lectures on the topics of tolerance, integration and anti-discrimination strategies.

"Bon Courage" aims at fighting all forms of discrimination, whether they are based on culture, religion, nationality or sexual orientation.  In recent years the club has developed educational projects for people in Borna and the rural areas around Leipzig.  These projects deal with the links between Germany’s Nazi past and current right-wing extremism.


Ruti Ungar

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