"Demands for a recognition and reconciliation with the German colonial crimes and the German colonialism overall have existed for decades. But politicians and institution taking these demands seriously has only been true for a view years. For this we thank the activists, who engaged persistantly for decades, as well as – and I want to stress this – many allied German civil society actors. Together they ensured the topic gained gravitas, they ensured that today we can all act together and together we build new roads. Therefore, I am especially pleased that in the framework of the Decolonial Memorial we act together. State and Federation together are carving space for a committed initiative of the civil society to maneuver. With an over all budget of 1.5 million euro a permanent artistic marking can finally be placed here, at the Berlin Global Village. The resonance to this unique cooperation will match the efforts. Of this, I am sure. In the Federation of Germany a comparable undertaking has never existd. At the Berlin Global Village diverse initiatives from various communities and civil society concerned with the contemporary development policies and development cooperation come together. This too is my goal. Artists from the former colonies partaking in the discussion and reconciliation of Germany’s colonial past here in our country."