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The annual congress of German foundations

The German chancellor praises foundations who support refugees upon their arrival in Germany.

12.05.2016
© dpa/ Jan Woitas - Angela Merkel

Leipzig, Germany (dpa) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday praised the support that various foundations have offered to asylum seekers arriving in the country.

"They accompany refugees who take their first steps in our country and help them to master everyday life as well as our language," Merkel said at the opening of the annual congress of German foundations in Leipzig. "Not least, they promote openness, pluralism and tolerance to forge closer unity in our country," she added. About a quarter of the more than 20,000 foundations in Germany are concerned with the issue of integration, which is key for refugees staying in the country in the long term, she said.

Merkel emphasized that integration had to start early on to be successful, adding that this was a lesson learnt from the experience with guest workers who arrived in Germany between the 1950s and 1970s.

Some 1,800 participants at the annual congress are meeting until Friday to discuss current challenges of their work, including the integration of refugees and an ageing society. German foundations are currently struggling with low interest rates, which means they make only little income from their assets.

www.stiftungen.org

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