Selda Koldamca

Selda Koldamca has been a member of the Committee for Equal Opportunities and Integration (ACI) - formerly the Integration Council - since the 2025 local and integration council elections. In this series, 'Inside ACI', Bruno Wansing introduces the members, recounting their family histories, aspirations and experiences in the field of integration.

Her father, Mehmet, played a special role

Even as a child, Selda grew up in a multicultural neighbourhood that had a lasting influence on her understanding of community. Living alongside people from different backgrounds, as well as forming many German friendships, had a significant influence on her youth. The close-knit nature of the neighbourhood fostered respectful interaction and intercultural exchange from an early age. As a Yazidi, she feels a strong cultural connection to the Kurdish language and its traditions. The International Mesopotamian Cultural Association of Bocholt and the Surrounding Area e. V., founded by her father, Mehmet Koldamca, plays a special role for her; she is actively involved in the association and provides important impetus for cultural, community and integration work. These experiences contribute significantly to her credo of integration in practice.

Giving a voice to people with an international family history

She joined the ACI through her own association and the current chair of the ACI, Juan Lopez Casanava. "I have always sought first-hand information to help others with integration and to pass on knowledge. It is particularly close to my heart to give a voice to people with a migrant background and to highlight their concerns: equal opportunities, social participation and the fight against discrimination and exclusion. I firmly believe that language and culture must be consciously practised and passed on." Local associations play a central role in this.

"As well as Juan , my work has also been influenced by Bruno Wansing, the Integration Officer for the City of Bocholt and Managing Director of the ACI, whom I first met through my voluntary work and who simply won me over with his commitment and dedication."

Language, cultural preservation and participation

For her, language, cultural preservation and participation through community organisations are at the forefront of her work on the Committee for Equal Opportunities and Integration. She emphasises that integration must work without assimilation: people with an international family background should preserve their own language and culture whilst also sharing them with the wider community. At the same time, she is keen to actively promote the social, political and cultural participation of people with a migrant background and to strengthen equal opportunities.

The ACI's visibility in the public eye is also a key concern for her: greater engagement with community organisations and the wider public, a stronger presence in the town, and the involvement of community organisations in committee meetings. Politically, she views the rise of right-wing extremism with concern; people with an international family background should feel welcome in Bocholt. For her, combating discrimination, prejudice and exclusion is an essential part of successful integration work.

Listening and getting to know one another are essential

She considers cooperation within the ACI to be fundamentally good and emphasises the importance of a diversity of opinions. Listening to and getting to know people are essential in this regard. Nevertheless, she would like to see greater participation from various stakeholder groups and a stronger involvement in committee meetings of associations and organisations that actively work with refugees, for example.

She views cooperation with politicians and the administration as positive, with occasional differences of opinion - which she sees as an opportunity for constructive dialogue.

Mutual understanding and opportunities for cultural participation

According to Selda, the key prerequisites for successful integration are linguistic participation, the preservation of one's own culture and access to information. For her, integration does not mean assimilation, but rather mutual understanding and opportunities for cultural participation.

She considers good access to education, training, work, housing and healthcare to be particularly important in order to enable genuine equality of opportunity. In her view, language support plays a key role, as a good command of German significantly facilitates educational success, career prospects and social contacts. At the same time, multilingualism should be recognised as a strength and its potential promoted accordingly.

Committed community organisations and forms of public recognition play a significant role.

Visibility, dissemination of information, involvement of associations

She advocates for greater visibility for the ACI, regular public appearances and the dissemination of information. It is also important, she says, to involve associations more closely in committee meetings - for example, through joint events such as May Day, Mother Language Day or summer festivals. Expanding the "engagierte Stadt" network and ensuring broader participation by associations in municipal events are at the top of her list. Political education and mother-tongue instruction (HSU) in languages where there is a need are further key elements of her educational policy demands.

Children, young people and families in particular should receive greater support in order to improve educational opportunities and social integration at an early stage. Selma Koldamca also attaches great importance to closer dialogue between citizens, the administration and politicians, so that the concerns of local communities are better heard and taken into account.

Integration Award Winner

Both in her private and professional life, Selda is closely connected to culture and language: she plays the tembur and leads the children's choir. Her regular performances include the Family Festival on 1 May and appearances at cultural events organised by Kurdish associations. In recognition of her work promoting integration and culture, the children's choir she leads at her own association was awarded the City of Bocholt's Integration Prize in November 2025. In addition, she has been volunteering in refugee support for many years and is actively committed to providing support, guidance and social inclusion for refugees. She strives for visible cultural integration that brings people together and strengthens the diversity of cultural offerings.

Mother-tongue instruction, public relations, presence in the city centre

For this term of office, Selda plans to further expand language provision - implementing mother-tongue language teaching (HSU) where needed and creating multilingual programmes. Public relations work is to be further strengthened - by increasing the organisation's presence in the city centre, involving more associations in committee meetings and consolidating networks.

Selda repeatedly emphasises that greater direct participation by people with an international family background is necessary. The involvement of associations in committee work, more political education and open dialogue with the administration and civil society are at the very top of the agenda.

A clear message: preserving language and culture

Selda Koldamca delivers a clear message: preserving language and culture, whilst building bridges - so that people from diverse migration backgrounds feel respected, welcome and actively involved in Bocholt. Her experiences in a multicultural neighbourhood, her many friendships, her involvement in the association, her voluntary work and her professional expertise shape her pragmatic, inclusive approach at the ACI.