On 16 April 2026, the Counseling Center against Racism in Education presented the results of the first conference on “Racism and Education”, which took place in November 2025 in Göttingen. More than 80 participants attended and listened to the findings and conclusions.
Around 12 keynote speakers from different sectors were invited to reflect on the results and discuss them from their own perspectives. Teachers, school leaders, civil society representatives, pupils affected by racism or engaged in anti-racist activities, and representatives from the administration all contributed to this multi-perspective forum.
Several key areas for action were identified:
- greater awareness is needed.
- attitudes need to change.
- the experiences of people affected by racism must be heard and respected, not questioned.
- pupils affected by racism need support, as racism places a real burden on them.
- practical solutions must be developed.
- complaint mechanisms and clear guidelines for action are needed.
- training for teachers is necessary.
- anti-racist work is a continuous process and must be part of all areas of school life.
- financial resources must be made available for training.
The experts agreed that training for teachers is extremely important and lays the foundation for more discrimination-sensitive education in schools. According to them, such training should be compulsory for all teachers and school staff.
It was interesting to hear that the representative of the Regional School and Education Department did not agree with this position. They pointed out that schools face many different demands, and that racism is only one issue among many. The administration has already taken measures against racism. In their view, voluntary participation in teacher training is the only way to gain the support of teachers. Another speaker advised looking at existing concepts for preventing sexual abuse, as these could serve as a model for anti-racism concepts.
It was a good opportunity for Ifak to distribute leaflets about “Participa City” as a useful tool for teacher training. The need to raise awareness among teachers about racism and discrimination remains high — one of the main conclusions of this second conference on “Racism and Education” in Göttingen.