Text: Maria Gerchak; Photos: Cornelia Paasch, Karl Opuchlich, Katharina Goldbach, Maria Gerchak.

Having a big family all over the world is the best thing that can happen to you. I realized it this weekend during the “No More Walls” Youth for Peace meeting in Berlin with young people from Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Spain and France. Having this kind of family gives you confidence, hope and power to change the world. It gives the strength we need to fulfill the task and the promise we gave ourselves these days: to tear down the walls in our world. Walls of all kinds: between rich and poor, europeans and refugees, between citizens of different countries, ethnic groups and many other visible and invisible walls. 

Berlin is a city that has seen the most evil during the National Socialism and the tragedy of separation afterwards. But it also has seen the fantastic moment of the peaceful change of history, when the wall came down in autumn 1989. The cold concrete remains of it remind us that walls are sources of sadness; they make those, who are on the other side invisible in all senses.

Walls can be created very quickly, even overnight, just like the Berlin wall. But it is much harder to get them down and to build a big and beautiful house instead. But it can be done, if we unite and everyone lays one stone to the foundation of the house of peace. It can be a small thing, a gesture of love and friendship, a smile, a talk to someone, who needs it, a helping hand. We can start this chain reaction of good deeds and let the walls come down like domino stones. Nothing is impossible in this wonderful growing family.