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DB trainees support people with refugee experience: All you need to know about the company's educational campaigns

DB trainees support people with refugee experience: All you need to know about the company's educational campaigns
photo: Deutsche Bahn/DB trainees support people with refugee experience: All you need to know about the company's educational campaigns
10 / 07 / 2022

With an educational campaign on the topic of Domestic violence towards children, prospective DB Fernverkehr AG specialists at Deutsche Bahn (DB) from Dortmund have won this year's Rail Trainees against Hate and Violence competition. With this competition, DB has been honouring the commitment of its junior staff to an open society without discrimination for over 22 years. DB presented the awards to this year's winners on Wednesday evening. Around 200 trainees and 55 mentors realized 30 projects with which they made strong statements for more openness and civil courage.

The eight-strong winning team from Dortmund chose the topic of domestic violence against children to help break the taboo. In addition to an information campaign, it supported a children's home that accommodates children who have been abused and neglected in their families.

The award ceremony was held for the first time again in presence at the Tempodrom in Berlin. Musician and poetry slammer Aylin Celik made a prominent guest appearance. Dr Richard Lutz, Chairman of the DB Management Board, presented the first prize as patron of the competition.

Dr Richard Lutz: "Solidarity and civil courage are part of our self-image as railroad employees. Our junior staff also demonstrate this in a very special way. They don't look away, they take an active stand against hatred, violence and exclusion and for a peaceful and tolerant society. Rail is part of society - which makes it all the more important that we take a stand together."

Second place went to trainee train dispatchers at DB Netz AG in Duisburg, who is campaigning for the children of refugees in Germany: they have developed a practical guide for this target group with contacts for help and points of contact in five languages.

Martin Seiler, Board Member for Human Resources and Legal Affairs, paid tribute to them as project organizers: "The fate of refugees from Ukraine has touched many people in recent weeks and also prompted us as DB to launch the largest aid program in our history. The DB Netz AG team from Duisburg has already shown great sensitivity to the challenges and needs of refugees in Germany. That makes me insanely proud of these young colleagues in the DB team."

The Board Member for Digitalization & Technology, Dr Daniela Gerd tom Markotten, presented the third prize.

Trainee transport service clerks from DB Fernverkehr AG in Nuremberg received third prize for raising awareness of how to deal with refugees. They produced a fictional report about a Ukrainian refugee who is confronted by different passengers and their prejudices on the train, but finally meets a train attendant who is willing to help.

Daniela Gerd tom Markotten: "Cultural diversity enriches our society and is an opportunity for us as a company. With their project in 'Deutsche Bahn Trainees against Hate and Violence', our junior staff are setting an example of civil courage and attitude. They are thus setting an example for the whole of DB."

In addition to this year's winning projects, budding DB Regio railroad employees from Munich received this year's sustainability award in the competition for their efforts to combat discrimination on DB trains: A sticker on the displays of the passenger information system is intended to draw passengers' attention to the different orientations in society during the journey and to sensitize them to treat each other with respect.

In addition, an audience award was presented by the spectators. During the award ceremony, a live vote was held to select the audience winners from the TOP 10 projects previously voted for by the participants: The winner was "Die 5 gegen den Verschleiß" (The 5 against wear and tear), who refurbished the grounds of a villa for children with cancer.

About the competition

Since the competition was founded in 2000, more than 13,000 Deutsche Bahn trainees from the first and second years of their apprenticeship have implemented over 1,500 social projects. Through their participation, the young employees are to become familiar with the Group's values at an early stage. The aim is also to promote acceptance and appreciation of differences. DB is convinced that diverse teams are more successful. More than 330,000 people of more than 100 different nationalities and from four generations currently work successfully together in the Group. As an overarching cross-cutting issue, diversity is anchored in the Group as a whole and the Strong Rail strategy.

 

Source: ÖBB Press Releases

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