Residents of Bocholt pray together for peace

On Sunday, 15 November, an interfaith, public prayer for peace will take place at Benölkenplatz in Bocholt. It will begin at 5 pm. Afterwards, all participants are invited to a get-together in the canteen of St Georg's Grammar School, where light refreshments and hot drinks will be served.

It is exactly 10 years since the artist couple Carmen Dietrich and Gregor Merten, together with representatives of the Abrahamic religions and residents of Bocholt, laid the "Angel of Cultures" as a pavement inlay on Benölkenplatz.

At the time, the participants pledged to respect one another - regardless of their religion - and to work towards peace in the town, so that harmonious coexistence in the local community might flourish.

Joint prayer for peace and get-together

"We would like to renew this promise on 15 November at Benölkenplatz. All residents who care about peace in our town, as well as worldwide, are invited", emphasises Ulrik Störzer from the Bocholt Family Education Centre.

Störzer is organising the event together with Ute Gertz, pastoral officer at the Liebfrauen parish in Bocholt; Ansar Ahmad Arshad, imam of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat congregation in Bocholt; Rainer Heeke; and Bruno Wansing, the integration officer. Mayor Christian Mangen will be attending on behalf of the town of Bocholt. Maria Teriete will provide musical accompaniment to the prayer for peace on her guitar.

"Following the peace prayer, we warmly invite guests to a cosy get-together and a chance to chat over drinks and snacks in the canteen of the neighbouring St. Georg Gymnasium", adds Bruno Wansing, Integration Officer for the town of Bocholt. Refreshments will be provided by the cultural associations Akdeniz-Aleviten Bocholt und Umgebung, the German-Syrian Association, Afghan Hazara Deutsche Gemeinschaft Bocholt e.V. and the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat Bocholt.

The event is supported by the City of Bocholt's Committee for Equal Opportunities and Integration.