Right here, beneath our feet, lies a powerful symbol. It is the Engel der Kulturen Plaque. This artwork promotes intercultural dialogue. It represents tolerance. It embodies the peaceful coexistence of different religions.
The Engel der Kulturen project started in 2008. Artists Carmen Dietrich and Gregor Merten created it. They envisioned a symbol for the Abrahamic religions. These are Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. The symbol promotes understanding. It rejects hate. It fights antisemitism. It counters Islamophobia.
Look closely at the plaque’s design. You will see a circle containing three symbols. These represent the three Abrahamic faiths. There is a cross for Christianity. The Star of David stands for Judaism. A crescent moon symbolizes Islam. Unintended by the artists, the arrangement looks like an angel.
The artists roll a 1.5-meter steel sculpture through cities. Representatives from various religious groups participate. Local schools get involved too. At each stop, they create a temporary image. They use white sand to form the angel. There are speeches and music. People offer prayers for peace. They share food. Finally, they embed a permanent intarsia into the ground. This Engel der Kulturen Plaque serves as a lasting symbol. A ring for the next city is made with a blowtorch.
The Engel der Kulturen is more than art. It is a social sculpture. It embodies the desire for equality. It promotes peaceful unity. Martin Schulz, EU Parliament President, praised the Engel der Kulturen. He called it a symbol of the European idea. He said it represents respect and humanity. He noted it shows how people are connected. This is despite different religions and cultures.
In 2010, the sculpture traveled through Europe. It visited Essen, Pécs, and Istanbul. The artists installed the Engel der Kulturen symbol. They used sand prints and inlays. They even used graffiti.
The Engel der Kulturen project has received awards. It won the INTR°A Project Prize in 2013. This was for complementarity of religions. In 2015, it won the Heinrich Böll Foundation NRW’s idea prize.
The project is funded by donations. It also sells jewelry and small objects. The artists registered “Engel der Kulturen” as a trademark in 2011. This protects the project.
This Engel der Kulturen Plaque in Essen stands as a testament. It shows what happens when communities come together. It invites us to reflect. It inspires us to promote understanding. It encourages us to celebrate diversity. The interconnectedness of faiths and cultures is very important. Damage to one group will also severely harm the others. May this Engel der Kulturen Plaque always remind us of our shared humanity.