Mexican Tenor Visits Berlin's Largest Refugee Camp
Opera singer Rolando Villazón is Clown Ambassador of Red Noses International
June 23rd, 2016
On June 17, the Mexican tenor visited the Berlin Tempelhof airport refugee camp, where almost 1700 refugees are housed. He is one of the ambassador of "Red Noses International", an organization which aims to spread the power of humor and make a valuable contribution to the world through its beneficial effects.
The former airport of Tempelhof was originally built in 1927 and dramatically expanded by the Nazis during the 1930s. Nowadays, the city government has emended a law in order to build extra refugee shelters on a section of the airport’s vast airfield. Tempelhof has therefore been turned into a camp that currently is hosting over 1700 refugees, all waiting for permanent housing and integration into society.
Tempelhof is the largest refugee camp in Berlin. According to the law, refugees are only meant to remain for 6 weeks in temporary accommodations like camps. However, due to the lack of available higher quality lodgings, many of them have already been there for over 6 months.
Refugees there receive three daily meals and reasonably adequate facilities, but the uncertainty about their future and the lack of personal space are a permanent source of insecurity and discomfort. The government affirmed that using the camp in Tempelhof is the only way to avoid homelessness among refugees, but the move has met fierce opposition in the German cabinet, as the law stipulates that the camp must be taken down by 31 December 2019.
On July 17th, the tenor Rolando Villazòn visited the refugee camp to bring smiles and joy, attempting to boost the resistance and willpower of the people living there, who feel uncomfortable and whose living conditions are not good.
In March 2008 Villazòn became "Ambassador of Humor" for Red Noses Clowndoctors International. In doing so, he wanted to show his commitment to spread laughter in Eastern and Western Europe.
The Mexican tenor affirmed: "clowns are not only entertainers, their work is of great social importance. With the radiant power of rainbow they take sick persons with them into a world full of colors, movement, light and freedom".
In fact, whilst refugees do have a roof over their heads, regular meals and overall adequate facilities, the lack of space and integration seems to be triggering insecurity amongst them, with many feeling treated not as human beings but only as refugees. As far as now, the integration process must have seemed extremely difficult for many of them.
References:
- - http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/articulo/english/2016/06/14/mexican-tenor-visit-berlin-refugee-camp-dressed-clown-doctor
- - https://www.vice.com/read/tempelhof-germany-refugee-camp-photos-876
