Berlin Love Campaign
On March 17th 2009 the Mayor of Berlin, Klaus Wowereit, initiated along with pupils from the Hedwig-Dohm-Oberschule the poster campaign “Love Deserves Respect”.
Since it began you have been able to find the message on numerous posters distributed throughout the German capital, which show different couples who are kissing each other- namely a gay, lesbian and heterosexual couple.
The promotion had been created by the Lesbian and Gay Alliance Berlin-Brandenburg (LSVD) and is predominantly involved in extinguishing prejudices, fighting for respect and demonstrating that there is no place for homophobia in Berlin.
People should be aware of the fact that whether it is a gay, lesbian or heterosexual kiss, it is always a matter of love.
The motto of the campaign can be seen on the posters in German, Turkish and Arabic.
There is a strong opposition to homosexuals, especially amongst the younger population, and recently there has been increasing violence towards gays and lesbians. For example the memorial of homosexuals hunted during the National Socialism has been attacked twice since it’s unveiling in May 2008.
At the beginning of the campaign they started with posters in 160 regions but at the end of the year that number should rise to more than 250.
The emphasis of the mission is mainly on the disadvantaged quarters of Berlin such as Nord-Neukölln or Moabit-West.
This particular programme is just one of a number of tasks aimed at ridding Berlin of homophobia. There has been strong focus in awareness training in schools as well as in youth centres.
The programme “Social City” of the Senate Office of Urban Development finances the campaign and Koschwitz Plakat GmbH sponsored a big part of the advertising space.
While this ‘Love deserves Respect’ campaign was commencing, Berlin’s first ‘gay hotel’, ‘Axel’, was opened. According to mayor Wowereit it will enhance Berlin as a tourist destination.
Berlin is supposed to offer the guests of the gay-lesbian community an environment where they can feel comfortable and do not have to feel out of place because of their sexual orientation.
Speaking from his own experience, Juliá Blanch, founder of the hotel chain, wants to save his clients feeling like they were inferior.
A few weeks before I had the opportunity to look at the effects of the posters during a stay in my apartments and it was amazing!
We can only hope that the Berlin poster campaign achieves the desired effect and people, especially teenagers, abandon their animosity against heterosexuality.
Those of you who enjoyed the posters of the campaign can order one of them in an A2 format weekdays from 10am to 6pm in the BSLB Inc. Society agency or order them on the internet.
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