THIS WE Believe

There is an expression in German—Farbe bekennen (lit. showing or confessing your color)—which means: stating clearly where you stand, what you believe. In this turbulent time, we are called upon to say what we believe and to act upon it. Staying silent or remaining complacent suggests complicity. Studying German history can teach us a lot about the dangers of silence and complacency. It can also teach us about the power of standing up for what you believe. In fact, teaching young people the importance of Zivilcourage (moral or civil courage) is an integral part of the curriculum in many German schools.

Here are a few things we believe— in response to our specific moment, but also in terms of how German can be relevant to some of the key issues of our time.

Black Lives matter. We stand in solidarity with the protesters who are condemning systemic racism and police violence against people of color. Of course, Germany has its own history (and resurgence) of white supremacist thought, so the study of German means confronting the legacy of racism. We pledge to include Black German and other underrepresented minority voices in our course curriculum. For more on being an ally in the fight against racism and discrimination, check out https://guidetoallyship.com/.

Given the backlash against refugees in the US and Germany, it is also important to say: no human is illegal. We believe that people fleeing their homeland because they fear for their lives have the right to a safe and prosperous life. Calling them "illegal" dehumanizes them, instead of allowing us to recognize our shared humanity (and our shared history of migration). We incorporate immigrant voices in our curriculum to reflect the growing diversity of German culture. This diversity also includes gender identity and a long history of women's and LGBTQ rights and activism.

There is no planet B. We support efforts to combat climate change and pledge to make sustainable choices in our use of teaching materials. Our curriculum also showcases environmental activism and initiatives in German-speaking countries. There is a lot we can learn from countries that have taken a more committed approach to reducing carbon emissions.

Slow down. Although we are an intensive program and quickly cover a lot of material, we also value the gradual enfolding of knowledge over time. Learning a foreign language requires patience, perseverance, a good dose of self acceptance and courage to momentarily let go of your first language. It means minimizing distractions, asking questions, revisiting concepts, allowing yourself to be vulnerable, exploring connections, opening yourself to different cultural values, and taking the time to slow down enough to be able to deeply absorb these things.

Learning languages matters. Just as "travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness" (Mark Twain), so, too, is learning a foreign language. Each language reflects the traditions, knowledge, wisdom and worldview of a people and by studying it, we gain a deeper understanding of the world's rich diversity; of the things that connect and distinguish us.

The arts matter. They offer different ways of seeing the world, envisioning solutions, evoking empathy and celebrating the creative impulse that is at the heart of our humanity.