Every Donation Will Be Doubled
"The House of One is important because it connects people," says Christian Arbeit from 1. FC Union in eastern Berlin. From the western part of the city, Thomas E. Herrich from Hertha BSC adds: "The world needs places of peace. That's why the House of One in Berlin is so important." Hertha player Derry Scherhant is calling for donations: "Every euro donated will be doubled up to a total of 100,000 euros. This means that 200,000 euros can be raised for peace work."
Until February 25, the two foundations will match every euro donated. The funds will be used to strengthen interreligious educational work, which is crucial in times of growing antisemitism and increasing anti-Muslim sentiment. Additionally, part of the donations will be used to further advance the construction project in the heart of Berlin.
BALANCE OF THE EDUCATIONAL WORK OF THE HOUSE OF ONE
The interreligious work of the House of One brings people together, long before the sacred building is completed. By November 2024, the education team had already reached over 3,000 people through workshops and events focused on religious diversity. This is 30 percent more than in the entire year of 2023. Nearly half of those were children, young people, and young adults. "Even during the Corona pandemic, radical worldviews began to divide our society," comments Osman Örs, Imam and theological advisor, on the rise. "After October 7, the attack on Israel and the subsequent Gaza war, these worldviews have increased in frequency and intensity." At the same time, requests to the House of One for interreligious educational and meeting opportunities increased.
The work of the three-person, Jewish-Christian-Muslim educational team at the House of One is not only aimed at young people. "We also specifically target multipliers, such as teachers, social workers, or caregivers, to qualify them," explained Patricia Böckmann, theologian and Christian advisor. Over 1,500 people from the educational sector, religious institutions, healthcare, and public service (police, administration) took part in the foundation's offerings. "From the public sector, we have already reached nearly four times as many people as we did in 2023," said Böckmann.
The interreligious expertise of the House of One is increasingly being incorporated into specialized discourses. This includes work at the regional level through participation in initiatives such as "Democracy in the Middle" or at the federal level as part of expert groups on antisemitism prevention convened by Federal Minister for Family Affairs, Lisa Paus. Through cooperation with the Center for Comparative Theology and Cultural Studies at the University of Paderborn and the International Center for Comparative Theology and Social Issues at the University of Bonn, the House of One is also shaping theological and scientific discourses as a practical field.
Another element of the educational work is the podcast "331 - 3 Women, 3 Religions, 1 Topic," which is listened to across the German-speaking world. The discussions about religion and everyday life between Rebecca Rogowski, educational officer at Hillel e.V., Maike Schöfer, pastor and Christian influencer, and Kübra Dalkilic, Islamic theologian, are streamed or downloaded up to 4,000 times. The audio format is also used in religious studies or university seminars, as feedback from teachers and professors shows.
This donation campaign will end on February 25. We have already raised 95,000 euros. For the final push, we need your help to reach our goal. Please donate!
Prominent figures not only from sports but also from culture and society are calling for support for the House of One. The donation doubling campaign "1x Peace with All, Please" is financed by the Bethe Foundation from Essen, together with the HeLe Avus Foundation from Berlin. Other prominent supporters include former Federal President Christian Wulff, actor Michael Hanemann, entrepreneur Verena Bahlsen, and the President of the Nursing Council, Christine Vogler. All of them are part of the first campaign video for the launch of the three-month donation campaign.