Council for Migrants

Facilitating integration

At home in Heidelberg. Heidelberg is a city that offers a warm welcome to visitors. The diversity of the city is due not just to the countless tourists from all over the world, but also to the 56,000 children, young people and adults with a migration background who live in the city. They are given assistance with their homework or provided with teaching in different languages. Specially trained integration helpers accompany migrants when they have to deal with public authorities. For the past 20 years, the interests of foreign inhabitants of Heidelberg have been represented by the Council.

Represantation of interests. In Juy 2019 the new Council of Migrants has been appointed, in October the council elected its chairman Joschi Speidel. Its declared aim is to combat prejudice and make it easier for people of different cultures to live together. 

Participation. The Council acts as an official partner for Heidelberg City Council, advising and ensuring that it takes the interests of foreign citizens into account. It also supports and promotes foreign and German clubs, associations and initiatives committed to intercultural exchange.

Meeting point. With a view to improving mutual cultural understanding, the city also supports an Intercultural Center. The Center is a place for cultural exchange and a core element of the Heidelberg Local Integration Plan (Kommunaler Integrationsplan – KIP). It gives specialist advice to migrants and provides office space and event facilities, as well as organizing projects, readings or concerts.

Further information

Advice on getting foreign vocational qualifications officially recognized in Germany
Deputy mayor for the Environment, Citizens’ Services and Integration – drop-in sessions