With two new poster motifs, the city of Mannheim is continuing its campaign for the safety of queer people. They were introduced at the 11th Rainbow Reception of the city on July 1, bringing together guests from the queer community, politics, administration, business, science, and civil society.
The campaign “gemeinsam.sicher.sichtbar” was started last year by a network comprising the police, the public prosecutor’s office, the queer community, and the city of Mannheim. It aims to highlight the particular challenges faced by queer people, inform about available support services, and call on everyone to consistently report discrimination and violence.
Earlier posters also feature the mayor
In addition to the eight existing poster motifs, which include appearances by Lord Mayor Christian Specht (CDU) and Police President Ulrike Schäfer, two new posters are now joining the lineup. They will be displayed ahead of Monnem Pride on July 11 in the city and in the Rhein-Neckar-Verkehr GmbH (rnv) trains. New supporters of the campaign include rnv managing director Martin in der Beek and Christian Volz, as well as Panajotis Neuert and Fabian Klenk from “Pflege im Quadrat.” The posters also point to ways to report queer-phobic crimes—via the emergency number 110, the nearest police station, or the Baden-Württemberg Police Online Station. Flyers will be distributed during Monnem Pride, and additional events on the topic are planned for the autumn.
In his welcome remarks, Specht underscored the importance of the Rainbow Reception for city life: “When we talk about Pride today, we are not talking about a special topic for a single group,” said the CDU politician. “We are talking about the question of how we want to live together in Mannheim—with mutual respect, safety, and equal opportunities for all.”
Mannheim does not view diversity as an end in itself, but as a foundation for social cohesion and the city’s future viability. As a member of the Rainbow Cities Network and the LGBTIQ-Freiheitsraum, Mannheim works to ensure that queer people can live freely, openly, and without fear of discrimination.
The Bi+ theme takes center stage at the reception
At the center of this year’s reception was also the Bi+ theme—a broad umbrella for people who are attracted to more than one gender. In a discussion panel, representatives spoke about their living realities and visibility, with an eye toward the first Bi+ Pride Weeks planned for September in Mannheim. A photo exhibition from the Rainbow Cities Network showcased, among other things, three winning contributions from a municipal competition.
The reception also honored the Rhein-Neckar regional branch of the professional association VK — Network for Diversity and Careers, which has been working for three decades, on a voluntary basis, to foster a discrimination-free work environment.
