Arabic
subtitles should be added to Christmas and New Year's speeches by Germany's
president and chancellor, according to integration commissioner Aydan Özoguz.
She has suggested six language subtitles to help refugees.
Deutsche Welle, 23 December 2015
Özoguz
suggested Wednesday that multilingual subtitles be added to video downloads of
the speech to be televised at Christmas from President Joachim Gauck and then
Chancellor Angela Merkel's New Year's address.
The Social
Democrat (SPD) Özoguz, who is states' secretary for integration in Merkel's
grand coalition cabinet told the German news agency DPA that Germany's large
intake of refugees was "THE topic of the year 2015.
Ozoguz visiting a refugee camp in Jordan with German Vice-Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel (SPD) in September |
"Therefore
it would be good, if the refugees could also comprehend how we in this country
[traditionally] experience the situation - for example, the addresses given by
the federal chancellor and president at Christmas and New Year's," Özoguz
said.
"Perhaps
a few other EU heads of state will listen more closely," Özoguz quipped,
referring to leaders of other EU nations.
Appeals
from German leaders
Gauck, the
ceremonial head of state, told Germany in September as migrant inflows reached
10,000 per day, that "hearts" in Germany were open to building extra
accommodation and schools, teaching the German language and law, and providing
vocational training, even if "our capabilities are finite."
Addressing issues, Gauck in Frankfurt in October |
Merkel
survived a backlash from conservative ranks by telling voters "we will
somehow manage this" and then winning over her Christian Democratic (CDU) party's main conference by pledging a decline in migrant numbers through a
multi-pronged approach, including providing funds for refugee camps in the
Middle East.
Video
database
Özuguz said
online video databases provided by Germany's regional and federal broadcasters
should also offer subtitled translations of the speeches to be given by Merkel
and Gauck.
Referring
to key languages used by new arrivals from crisis and war regions, Özugun
suggested Arabic [for Syrians], Farsi [for Iranians], Pashtu [for Afghans],
Tigrinya [for Eritreans], "or also English and French."
Multilingual
online advice for migrant newcomers on living in Germany has been boosted by Deutsche Welle, which operates in 30 languages - alongside offerings by other
media outlets and institutions.
Arabic
already available
Reacting to
Özugoz' remarks, Deutsche Welle management on Wednesday said Merkel's New
Year's speech would be translated into Arabic for DW's Arabic satellite service
to the Middle East. Since last week, this Arabic-language satellite signal could also be easily received in Germany and other parts of western Europe via
Astra 1M.
Gauck's
televised Christmas address would be translated into Englisch, DW added.
Silent
majority urged to speak up
Reacting to
a number of arson attacks across Germany on hostels intended for - or already
used by - asylum seekers, Federal Justice Minister Heiko Maas on Wednesday
urged the "silent majority" to show more civil courage.
Maas (R) and prominent German TV presenter Dunja Hayali highlighted asylum rights in August |
Counteracting
this rhetoric was a task for everyone "in our everyday lives, whether in
the commuter train, at work or at the sports club," Maas said.
A radical
minority should not be allowed to destroy free and open society, he added.
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