In order to set an example against racism and discrimination and to strengthen cohesion in the city's society, the city of Essen, together with the ‘Essen Alliance for Openness, Solidarity, Democracy and the Rule of Law - Against Intolerance, Misanthropy and Violence’ and PACT Zollverein, invited people to the first day of action ‘We are all Essen - Together for a peaceful coexistence’ on 14 June 2024. The centrepiece of the event was a democracy conference moderated by Prasanna Oommen on the premises of PACT Zollverein.
After a welcoming address by Mayor Thomas Kufen , Professor Karim Fereidooni , a former member of the ‘Independent Expert Group on Anti-Muslim Racism’, addressed the findings of the expert commission's final report in his presentation ‘Anti-Muslim Racism: A German Balance Sheet’. This was followed by Correctiv founder David Schraven and his keynote speech ‘A new chance for democracy: The editorial society’. Afterwards, Prasanna Oommen , together with the two speakers and the project manager of the Research and Information Centre on Anti-Semitism in North Rhine-Westphalia (RIAS) Jörg Rensmann , followed up on what had been said in a panel discussion. Dr. Deborah Schnabel, Director of the Anne Frank Educational Centre, who was also invited as a guest, was unfortunately unable to attend the event at short notice.