"More than meets the eye!": Cabaret and a change of perspective at the Lernwerk
Campaign by the North Rhine-Westphalia State Integration Council // Specialist talk and cabaret with Fatih Çevikkollu // 24 November at the Lernwerk // Free admission
Around 30 per cent of people in Bocholt have an international family background. Under the title "More than meets the eye!", the North Rhine-Westphalia State Integration Council, the Committee for Equal Opportunities and Integration, and the City of Bocholt's Integration Office are hosting an evening of a specialist talk and cabaret at the Lernwerk on Tuesday 24 November. The guest speaker is the Cologne-based cabaret artist Fatih Çevikkollu.
Many people with an international background speak several languages, navigate confidently between different cultures and have learnt to adapt to new circumstances. However, this potential often remains untapped. Whether in the labour market, in education or when looking for accommodation, they often encounter barriers that lead to unequal opportunities.
This is where the evening event at Lernwerk comes in. Together with the North Rhine-Westphalia State Integration Council, the Committee for Equal Opportunities and Integration (ACI) - which emerged from the former Integration Council - and the Integration Office are inviting attendees to experience a change of perspective. The event combines expert insights with humour and offers an opportunity for intercultural dialogue.
The campaign "More than you see!" highlights the potential, multilingualism, intercultural skills and resilience of people with an international family background in North Rhine-Westphalia. "It also sends a message against social discrimination", says Juan Lopez Casanava, Chair of the ACI. Mayor Christian Mangen emphasises the aim: "The aim is to make this potential tangible - both for people with an international family background themselves and for wider civil society - and to call for an inclusive perception of diversity as an opportunity for a modern society."
The event will begin with welcoming addresses by Deputy Mayor Michael Wiesmann and Juan Lopez Casanava. This will be followed by expert input from Tayfun Keltek and Gülay Gürbüz of the North Rhine-Westphalia State Integration Council. The highlight of the evening will be a performance by Fatih Çevikkollu, who will explore questions of origin, identity and life in Germany on stage.
The event begins on Tuesday, 24 November 2026, at 7 pm in the event hall of the Lernwerk at Industriestraße 1. Admission is free. Please register by emailing integration(at)bocholt(dot)de.