Anti-discrimination, cultural diversity and integration

Diversity is our strength. In an increasingly interconnected world, we stand for a society in which all people, regardless of origin, religion, gender, sexual identity or disability, can participate on an equal footing. We strongly oppose discrimination and exclusion. We see integration as a reciprocal process that enables participation and creates cohesion.

We are committed to a policy that sees cultural diversity as an enrichment and actively promotes it. Through targeted measures, we want to reduce structural disadvantages and create equal opportunities for all. Because only an inclusive society that respects differences and strengthens commonalities can meet the challenges of our time.

A successful coexistence in diversity depends on mutual respect and tolerance. The framework is set by our Basic Law and the rules of democratic coexistence.

What anti-discrimination, cultural diversity and integration mean to us

Protection of human dignity and fundamental rights

The equality of all human beings is enshrined in our Basic Law. Nevertheless, many people in Germany experience everyday discrimination. We stand for a consistent implementation of the constitutional prohibition of discrimination in all areas of life and against all forms of exclusion.

Social cohesion

A diverse society is only strong if all its members can participate on an equal footing. Discrimination and exclusion jeopardise social cohesion and prevent people from reaching their full potential. We are committed to a culture of recognition and appreciation that respects different lifestyles.

Democratic resilience

Right-wing populist and extremist forces are increasingly trying to divide our society and turn minorities into scapegoats. A strong anti-discrimination policy and the promotion of cultural diversity strengthen our democracy against these attacks and promote a climate of tolerance and respect.

What we want to do specifically in this area

Active participation in society is a key to integration. We want to make it easier for people with migration history to become part of society through volunteering or association work. To this end, we want to expand existing offers, for example at the Bürgerkolleg, for the target group.

We Greens want to strengthen support for migrant associations and initiatives, promote their self-organization and consolidate their financial support. These associations are central contact points for integration, exchange and empowerment. We are committed to making it easier for them to access meeting and counselling spaces – and to making their important role in urban society more visible. We also want to promote networking between existing and new initiatives. These measures not only strengthen democratic participation, but also promote intercultural dialogue and social coexistence in our municipalities.

Religious diversity is an important part of Wiesbaden's cultural diversity. We want to promote dialogue between the different faith communities in order to strengthen mutual understanding and tolerance. We want to promote interreligious projects, events and networks that bring people together regardless of their religion and promote social cohesion.

We support the establishment of a Council of Religions Wiesbaden as a central and permanent platform for exchange. Together with the religious communities, we are committed to mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and an urban society in which diversity is experienced as an enrichment.

For many people, it is difficult to attend German courses if there is no childcare available. So that everyone who needs it can also take part in the German courses, we want to make sure that there is always a childcare offer.

We want to make access to administration and advice accessible for all people in Wiesbaden, regardless of their German language skills. To this end, we rely on the use of digital translation tools in citizen offices, social institutions and advice centres. These complement the existing interpreting and language mediation services, facilitate quick communication in everyday life and strengthen self-determination. In this way, we create more participation, reduce language barriers and ensure that all people can understand important information.

We Greens want to make the city understandable for everyone. Public authorities' signposts and administrative notices should be provided with multilingual versions, at least with short executive summaries in English. Translation services should be low-threshold, digitally or AI-based where possible. As a multi-language city, Wiesbaden is intended to reflect the reality of its diversity.

We are committed to culturally sensitive healthcare and care for older people with a migration history. Our goal is a social infrastructure that respects and incorporates different life biographies. That is why we are committed to the expansion of multilingual counselling and support services and the strengthening of intercultural competence of nursing and health staff through targeted training courses. Recognition of cultural and religious specificities in care facilities and outpatient services must become a matter of course. We also promote community housing for older migrants and support their self-organizations. A dignified care in old age must not be a question of origin.

We GRÜNE want to focus positively on diversity in Wiesbaden. With a publicity campaign – posters, bus advertising, flyers – we want to show the contributions of people with a migrant background and queer people to our urban society. In this way, we make visible how much these Wiesbadeners enrich our community and send a clear signal against discrimination, misinformation and hate campaigns.

Wiesbaden is a city with a diverse immigration history, which we want to make visible in our city identity. This includes the implementation of a guest worker monument, which was suggested by the Foreigners' Advisory Board, the inclusion of migrant history in exhibitions of the City Museum and the naming of streets or squares according to personalities with migration history. In this way, we show that diversity and migration are an integral part of our city history.

We will consistently think together integration and urban development to counteract social and ethnic segregation in our cities. Through targeted investments in disadvantaged neighborhoods, we create livable neighborhoods for all people. With a well-thought-out housing policy, we promote mixed living quarters and combat segregation.

Our goal is an inclusive city in which meeting spaces can be created and social cohesion can grow. Public infrastructure – from schools to libraries to green spaces – must be equally developed in all districts. We rely on participatory urban planning that actively involves migrants and takes their needs into account. In this way, we create spaces that enable and promote integration.

We want to move the Office for Immigration and Integration from the European Quarter to the city centre – for example, to a vacancy in a central location – and develop it into an office for immigration, diversity, anti-discrimination and social cohesion. In addition to the traditional tasks of integration, this office should offer an open forum in which citizens can inform themselves, exchange ideas and initiate projects for diversity and cohesion. Following the example of Frankfurt, we are thus creating a central place for participation and commitment.

We GRÜNE are committed to a Welcome Center that centrally supports people who come to Wiesbaden from abroad. There you will receive advice and contacts on all important questions about arrival: Stay, learn German, work, vocational training, family and health. The Welcome Center should be a low-threshold, reliable and barrier-free place that offers orientation, facilitates integration and enables participation.

We Greens are committed to ensuring that the city administration reflects Wiesbaden's diversity. Through targeted personnel development, diversity training and transparent recruitment and promotion processes, we want to promote a diverse workforce. Diversity in administration means better advice, fairer decisions and a signal of appreciation to all Wiesbadeners. Urban job advertisements should be supplemented by the statement that the city is committed to diversity and equal opportunities and therefore expressly encourages people with migration history to apply.

Wiesbaden has an established integration monitoring system that primarily collects data on migration and participation. We Greens want to develop this tool into a comprehensive diversity monitoring system that also includes gender, religion, disability, age and social background. This makes progress and barriers visible – not only in the area of integration, but in all dimensions of diversity.
The results should be published regularly, transparently and comprehensibly and linked to concrete measures. In this way, we create a reliable basis for an effective anti-discrimination policy and a city that actively promotes diversity.

What we have already achieved

The City of Wiesbaden has modernised its website to facilitate access to information and services. The site is barrier-free and offers content in 12 languages. In addition, content is offered in light language to further increase accessibility.

Since 2025, the Kids Fox app has been introduced in all 42 urban daycare centres. This supports parents and nursery staff in communication and organization. The application offers an automatic translation function in 27 languages. In schools, too, we want to offer such an opportunity and examine the central provision of the ‘School Fox’ app via the media centre, so that families, regardless of language and origin, have equal access to education and care at school and communication between school and parents is easy for everyone to understand and arrive at.

We supported the WIR Diversity Center in Wiesbaden and financially secured its work. With two coordinators, it is a central point of contact for diversity, intercultural openness and participation. Through our political accompaniment, projects in the cultural sector and in the districts have been strengthened. In this way, we promote a culture of welcome and recognition and create structures that visibly and sustainably anchor the participation of people with a migration history.

Funding was provided for six Wiesbaden districts (Biebrich, Erbenheim, Klarenthal, Westend, Hollerborn, Sauerland) to promote neighbourhood and encounter projects. The aim is to bring people from different backgrounds, age groups and living environments together, to strengthen social cohesion and to make opportunities visible for disadvantaged districts. Community work thus contributes directly to integration, promotes participation and helps to reduce discrimination and exclusion at local level.

We have provided funding for cultural integration projects and thus supported associations and initiatives that create encounters and exchanges. From theatre and music projects to film workshops and multilingual offers in daycare centres: Culture thus becomes an engine for integration. Through our support, we strengthen participation, visibility and cohesion in a diverse urban society.

In 2024, we launched the project ‘Stay in Wiesbaden – Labour Market and Integration Counselling for Patients and Allowed’. The aim is to finally open up perspectives for people who have often lived in Wiesbaden for many years. The project offers advice, assistance in clarifying residence and access to the labour market. Even when 29 people from the service-related background come into work, the project is self-sustaining. In this way, we create participation, perspectives and real opportunities for those who have been patient for many years.

We have ensured that queer refugees in Wiesbaden are visibly supported and well integrated. Through political decisions, we have promoted cooperation between the city, AIDS-Hilfe Hessen and other organisations. The Rainbow Refugee Support project provides counselling, support in asylum procedures, psychosocial support and group offers to prevent isolation. We Greens have created the framework for queer refugees to experience protection, empowerment and participation in our city.