CHECK NRW #3

community
ENGLISH
Gemeinsam gegen Diskriminierung und
Ausgrenzung:
Last autumn, the organizations Aidshilfe Düsseldorf e.V., Care24 Soziale Dienste
gGmbH and Schwul-lesbische Jugendarbeit Düsseldorf e.V. (SLJD) joined forces
under the new umbrella brand “DIVERSITAS Bunt für Düsseldorf”. Özgür Kalkan
officially took over the helm as managing director on June 1st and tells us about
the goals and tasks of Diversitas.
Özgür, you have often looked outside the
box, worked for an international company,
have lived abroad such as in the USA and
Japan, and have Turkish roots yourself. What
is it about the new job that attracts you?
What experiences – whether personal or
professional – have you had with the topic of
diversity and discrimination?
In my previous professional activity it was
important for me to always fight for a socially
just and non-discriminatory society with a
high level of commitment and professional
services, because discrimination against
minorities is still present in our society. That
is why it is important to me to counter the
increasing intensification of this discrimination
against minorities who are marginalized
on the basis of sexual orientation and gender
identity, their origin or their health, to offer
them protection and to stand up for their
rights. I can continue to pursue this approach
at Aids Aid Düsseldorf or at DIVERSITAS.
Further motivations are the personal and professional
experiences that I have had so far.
Because of my roots, I am often confronted
with prejudices and unfortunately I perceive
that our society has not yet been fully enlightened
despite the diversity that exists.
What would you like to focus on and accentuate
in your work? Do you have a different
view of things because of your business
background?
Even if the professional background differs
from that of my predecessor Peter von der
Forst, the focus will not be any different. Our
work is based on the rights of the individual,
as they are anchored in the Basic Law, as
well as the general declaration of human
rights, the values ​and principles of the World
Health Organization and, last but not least,
the Social Security Code.
A right to health and participation in
health-promoting resources, to social
security and the creation of the necessary
conditions for the free development of one’s
identity will be the main focus. And in this
context I would like to develop the organizations
and projects within DIVERSITAS and
initiate further projects.
Another focus will be organizational development.
Here I would like to address and focus
on the topics of financial and personal development
and their associated structures.
How will the individual organizations (and
their employees) deal with the ​tension
8 CHECK NRW #3