Ten years of round table for refugees: a festival of hope in Lahnstein!

Ten years of round table for refugees: a festival of hope in Lahnstein!

On May 23 and 24, 2025, the "Round Table for Refugees" celebrates its tenth anniversary in Lahnstein. The celebrations will take place on May 24 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. around the St. Barbara parish hall in Niederlahnstein. The initiative was founded on January 19, 2015 and has campaigned for refugee work at the Rhein-Lahn-Eck in the past ten years. The celebrations include a film evening and a special festivity that should appreciate the commitment of the many volunteers and supporters. The Rhein-Zeitung reports that the round table reports a platform for the exchange of the needs of refugees and the challenges of integration created.

The willingness to help towards refugees, especially from Ukraine, has risen sharply in recent years. At the same time, there is a desire for equivalent treatment of all refugees, regardless of their origin. This also shows the discussion about the racist basic attitudes in the refugee recording, which can be found in particular in countries such as Poland and Hungary. The International Center Friedberg emphasizes that a scientific study by the Robert Bosch Foundation highlights the current challenges in integration policy and indicates the need for new solutions.

Current challenges in refugee accommodation

In the Wetteraukreis, the accommodation of refugees has again taken over in its own direction. After the referring to many refugees from Ukraine to municipalities, most privately found accommodation. Nevertheless, refugee arrivals from other countries rose significantly at the end of 2022, which exceeded the existing capacities of the Wetteraukreis. This leads to numerous, unexplained financial issues between the municipalities and the Wetteraukreis, since overall there is too little money available for the necessary supply.

A large part of the recognized refugees still live in accommodations, although they could move out. Many refugees do not manage to find suitable living space on the public housing market. In the analysis of the international center Friedberg it becomes clear that the round tables in the respective regions often have a lack of volunteers and therefore have no capacity for the acceptance of new refugees.

Development of refugee numbers

• In November 2017, around 3,500 refugees lived in refugee accommodation in the Wetteraukreis.
• 256 municipal institutions housed 2850 refugees; The rest lived privately.
• The overall recording of refugees was around 1000.
this year
• approx. 40% of the refugees were recognized, while many were waiting for their asylum procedures.
• from those who were able to move out accommodations in 2017, 800 found their way in private apartments.

The refugee numbers have increased significantly since mid -2012, which would present the authorities with major challenges. The IZF is already actively supporting voluntary language courses in Friedberg and Bad Nauheim to promote integration. The AG refugee aid Wetterau networked volunteers and thus promotes the offers of help on site. The continued need to develop new solutions and initiatives at the local level is crucial for the future of refugee accommodation.