The beauty of Christmas Market(without religious motives)

The beauty of Christmas Market in Berlin

One does not need a microscope or telescope to see how important or cherished Christmas is to the German community (the word community in this case encompasses those who are natives of German and those of us who are visitors.) I am privileged enough to have lived in both East and West cities of Germany; first having been Leipzig and now Berlin. In short, I have witnessed Christmas market, events leading up to Christmas, from both cities. One thing stands out, and that is Christmas market vibes. Before I proceed, it is better that I explain how the market is set. What the government does is to find a certain street, like the one I saw in Karl Marx Street here in Berlin, and bring wooded stalls and rent them to entrepreneurs whom then decorate it any how they wish, majority of them with Christmas lights and trees, and then pack their goodies. Therefore, civilians are able to walk around the street(s) and choose the goodies they love. In Leipzig, the Christmas market that I managed to attend was in the city centre, and the stalls were put in front of the shops, unlike here in Berlin, maybe it could be that Berlin does not have a one specific city centre. Anyway, this will be a subject for another day.


For entrepreneurs Christmas market is a quick way of making Euros (money). While on the other hand, for civilians (customers) the market gives them a chance to buy their favourite goodies which they usually do not buy often during the course of the year. One lady came to our marker, Sage-Net market, and bought lickrages (historically famous for Netherlands) type of sweets with sour taste to those of us who are not used to them, and she remarks that, “my daughter would love to have them for her Christmas gift.” Our Sage-Net stall is just a tiny fraction of the types of markets that do business in the Christmas market street. The market ranges from clothing (woollen made hats, scarf’s and jerseys), to bakery (fat cakes with lots of sugar, bread, baked cauliflowers), quick bite meat or meal (curry worst, hot dog), to wine (warm cooked or boiled wine) and to art for wall decoration (decorated pictures about the city and strategic places of the country.)


To many people, the price does not seem to bother them at all. For example, sweets or goodies which one would normally pay 2 Euros or so in a shop somewhere else could go up to 3-4 Euros in a Christmas market. I think to them is also about the environment and that makes everything worth it. Or even better, it could be due to the fact that the Christmas market happens once in a year. For entrepreneurs, if one is lucky enough, one ends up creating network of suppliers for his or her day to day business. Unlike, us at Sage-Net market who come here for a fundraising purpose for our South African civil organizations, other entrepreneurs do this for living. So, Christmas market really means the world to them.


The winter weather of Germany does not stop people from visiting the Christmas market. I make it a point that every time when I knock off from work(Sage—Net) I pass by the Christmas market at Alexanderplatz‎ which is on the way to my residence and grab few goodies or just walk around and marvel to all the varieties of goodies that are at the market. The market also comes handy to beggars who would sometimes sleep hungry because here they have an opportunity to ask from lot of people. Even though, I heard that the social system here in Germany is very good. Maybe it could be the beggars that I see are either not officially registered to be in the country or that they need more money for something else. However, the Christmas market caters for all people of the community.

Kids, at some point, seem to be the main targeted market for entrepreneurs. Some markets have toys or goodies which are more pleasing to kids. Parents also have their preferences, but few of them actually manage to say no their kids demands, but majority go with the follow (LöL, I know you do not believe this.)


In peroration, I grew up in South Africa with the knowledge that Christmas is a celebration related to Jesus Christ. To my amazement, or rather what really caught my attention is the fact that, Christmas is highly sought after here in Germany. Yet, more than 60% of Berlin residents have no registered religious affiliation. The largest denominations in 2010 were the Protestant regional church body of the Evangelical Church of Berlin-Brandenburg-Silesian Upper Lusatia (EKBO.)


Could this mean that Christmas does not have to be associated with religion?


Religion in Berlin - 2010

Non religious 60.0%

Protestants 18.7%

Roman Catholics 9.1%

Muslims 8.1%

Other Christian 2.7%

Other religion 1.0%

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin?oldid=636582982

The first two pictures are were taken from the Sage-Net stall during set up.

Jeffrey Shisinga's World : Fartuun Adan receives a Human Rights award

Jeffrey Shisinga's World : Fartuun Adan receives a Human Rights award: On the 04th of December 2014, I attended a Human Rights award ceremony where Fartuun Adan from Mogadishu in Somalia, was awarded a Human Ri...

Fartuun Adan receives a Human Rights award

On the 04th of December 2014, I attended a Human Rights award ceremony where Fartuun Adan from Mogadishu in Somalia, was awarded a Human Rights Award today on behalf of Elman Peace and Human Rights Centre where she is an executive director. The award was conferred to her by Friedrich Ebert Stiftung foundation. According to Kurt Beck, the chair of Friedrich Ebert Stiftung foundation, this was the 20th time since 1994 that the foundation offers such a prestige award to people who advances the course of humanity.
In his speech or rather remarks he assured her of how highly the work she does with women and children in Somalia is appreciated. He remarked that, “it is not easy in a country like Somalia where there are riots and wars to find people, especially women who advance the course of human rights and dignity. Especially that the law is not equally applied to cases that involve women and children.” He continued and pointed out that when “fighting for human rights we should not be oriented by the national or international borders.”
As humans , we should not turn a blind eye on how big the problems in other countries or our neighbours especially when the basic rights of human dignity and of access to law is trampled upon. Though her achievements and efforts were acknowledged, Beck also pointed out to the fact that Germany knows that “others things are also lagging behind in Somalia, where he gave an example of how married women are dispossessed of their husbands belonging (or inheritance) upon their passing, but the family of the deceased husband claims everything” He believes that Adan and her organization are on a right track to restore human right in Somalia and Africa as a whole. Before he conferred the award to her he said, “This award is a sign of acknowledgement of respect to what you do in making Somalia and the world a better place, and that Human Rights challenges are the fundamental focus of German politics or government.”

Amongst the dignitaries who attended this event was Christoph Strässer, a human rights commissioner of the federal government of Germany. He gave a brief historical collection of how al-Shabaab is known to be terrorising the Somalia people, and how at a certain point the government of Somalia together with the African Union’ interventions have managed to control or push al-Shabaab away from the Indian Ocean. He remarked however that, “even in places where al-Shabaab had been disposed rule of law is not yet applicable or effected. And that Adan and her organizations are on a right path towards creating a positive and human rights observing Somalia that they wish to have.” He further believes that “the weakest members of the society in Somalia are women and children. Many victims have little hope that Justice will be served to them in reporting stories that befall them, be it rape or abuse.”

As she ascended the podium to collect her award, she shared with the house how her husband, Elman Ali Ahmed, was killed for advancing human rights in Somalia. She acknowledged the award and stated that, “I feel extremely privileged to have received this award.” Before she gave her remarks on what her organization does, she shared a historical experience that she had where a president of Somalia once said that, “Somalia men were not raping and abusing women because they are Muslim as such cannot be said to be engaging in such activities.” She also gave a brief overview of what Elman Peace and Human Rights Centre does. Amongst others the centre cares for women, children and child soldiers who are raped abused or want to re-integrate back to the society. “We teach them literacy, basic reading and writing skills, and offer workshops for entrepreneurial activities. We even give them capital to start their own business.” She further explained that their focus was merely in making the women rich but rather to help them change their situations even in a smaller portion. “Silence is killing Somali women, at the end, I want them to have confidence and to have justice to be able to go to court and report the injustices that are instituted to them.” She also explained how difficult it is at first for the child soldiers to open up because they fear that they will be isolated or even be killed when the word reaches out that they have ran away. Our greatest aim is to make women to realize that they are not and do not have to be slaves for their husband of fathers, she said. Confidence is what we aim to instil in the community.


The conference was also opened for discussion from the panellists and the floor. Few questions were asked: one question was aimed at Adan and asked how does she get to work? Especially with the issue of security which is really unstable in Mogadishu and her response was that, “every time I leave my house to go to work, I accept that anything can happen. We do not have security, and one can never be certain with al-Shabaab.”

The next question was related to al-Shabaab, and it asked it was possible to negotiate with al-Shabaab, she responded by saying, “The child soldiers can be negotiated with since they lack education and other alternatives majors to quit working for the al-Shabaab.”

Another question wanted to know as to who is funding al-Shabaab, and she answered that “there were speculations in Somalia that al-Shabaab could be funded by Arabian countries with their hope to taking over Somalia and to run it their own way.”


The last question to be asked was related to how can women bring about contribution to peace and security in Somalia, and the question was well answered by another member of the panel Christa Radzio- Plath, She is chairperson of the Marie Schlei Association, and in her response she said, “Networking of women is an answer to bringing economic. Peace and security. War is no longer a subject of male soldiers, but of women too. There should be more women in parliament and Rwanda has proved to be a leader in this regard.” She closed her remarks by saying that, “governments should invite civil societies or organizations in their discussions for peace and security.”

Here is the link to her profiling her work