eventus Bildung Fachtag: Die kultur- und religionssensible Kita als Ort für mehr Bildungsgerechtigkeit

In the organizer's words:

Eventus Education Symposium for early childhood education

"The culturally and religiously sensitive daycare center as a place for more educational equality"

June 03, 2026 - Berlin

At the VKU Forum, Invalidenstraße 91, 10115 Berlin

Under the motto "More educational justice through culturally and religiously sensitive pedagogy", the symposium is aimed at pedagogical professionals, managers, providers and anyone interested in early childhood education.

Especially in a city like Berlin, which is characterized by a high level of cultural, linguistic and religious diversity, daycare centres are the first places of institutionalized education. This is where it is decided whether children experience belonging, self-efficacy and participation - or whether they are confronted with exclusion and prejudice at an early age.

At the same time, cultural, religious and linguistic differences pose complex questions for educators in their day-to-day work: in dealing with children, in working with families and in dealing with conflicts, prejudice and discrimination.

A reflective, culturally and religiously sensitive attitude provides a professional framework for this: It strengthens children's identity development, understands origin as a resource and supports the conscious and reflective shaping of diversity.

You can look forward to two specialist presentations on diversity in early childhood institutions and the importance of culturally and religiously sensitive education. In the subsequent panel discussion, different perspectives will be brought together: representatives from education policy, daycare center practice and science will discuss how strengthening the cultural and religious environments of children and families can contribute to greater educational equality. The lunch break with a market of opportunities invites participants to exchange ideas and network. In the afternoon, workshops will deepen the content of the day and open up practical approaches for a culturally and religiously sensitive daycare practice. The event will conclude with a joint outlook.

Take the opportunity to gain new perspectives, network and actively shape educational equality in early education. Participation in the symposium is free of charge. A certificate of attendance will be issued for participation in the symposium.

We look forward to seeing you!

Lectures by Prof. Dr. Sebastian Kurtenbach and Dr. Judith Weber.

Prof. Dr. Sebastian Kurtenbach is Professor of Political Science and Social Policy at Münster University of Applied Sciences and a private lecturer at the Faculty of Social Sciences at Ruhr University Bochum. He researches and teaches on social inequality, migration and social organization processes in urban areas. He is co-author of the non-fiction book "Kinder - Minderheit ohne Schutz. Growing up in an ageing society."

Dr. Judith Weber holds a doctorate in theology and education. She has spent many years researching culturally and religiously sensitive education and is the editor of the empirical and qualitative study "Religionssensible Bildung in Kindertageseinrichtungen". After many years of management work in the Archdiocese of Freiburg, she currently works in the Vicariate General of the Catholic Church in Zurich as the Vicar General's representative for pastoral care and as a specialist responsible for religious education.

We offer the following workshops:

1st workshop
"Culturally and religiously sensitive education in everyday daycare"

Cultural and religious diversity characterizes the everyday life of children in daycare centers and at the same time offers opportunities for their educational and developmental processes. The workshop focuses on culturally and religiously sensitive work with children in daycare centers: How can educators address children's questions about religion and culture, appreciate differences and at the same time promote belonging and participation? Using concrete everyday situations such as play, morning circle, celebrations, rituals or conflicts, typical challenges are reflected upon and practical ideas are developed together. The aim is to empower professionals to use diversity as an opportunity for children's educational processes, to promote reflection on their own attitudes and to develop concrete options for action for everyday daycare.

Elif Avci, daycare center manager of the eventus daycare center "Die Nachtigall"

Remziye Can, Lecturer eventus technical college for social pedagogy

2nd workshop

"What families bring with them counts - religious and cultural environments as a pedagogical resource"

Different cultural, biographical and religious backgrounds shape families' ideas about how care, nursing and education are organized - for example in terms of food, rituals, celebrations...

The workshop invites you to consciously perceive cultural and religious differences, to change your own perspectives and to see families as experts in their cultural and religious environments. Practical examples and methods are used to show how families' cultural and religious lifeworlds can be made visible in everyday daycare and integrated as a valuable resource in educational work.

Main topics:

• Raising awareness of cultural and religious differences: recognizing one's own prejudices, changing perspectives
• Families' cultural and religious environments as a resource for culturally and religiously sensitive pedagogy
• Practical tips for appreciative, culturally and religiously sensitive discussions with parents
• Use of multilingual materials in everyday daycare: welcome folders, information letters, notices, etc.

Susanne Wittenberg-Tschirch, religious and reform pedagogue in an interreligious context, family therapist and mediator

Julia Geffke, childhood educator, daycare center manager and educator for intercultural and interreligious education

3rd workshop

"Diversity in the team - intercultural and interreligious cooperation in the daycare center"

How can teams with different cultural, linguistic and religious backgrounds work together in a respectful way?

In this workshop, we will take a practical look at intercultural and interreligious diversity in everyday educational settings. Together we will reflect on our own attitudes, make diversity visible in the team and strengthen empathy, the ability to engage in dialog and mutual appreciation.

Using interactive methods, we will get to know key terms, shed light on team dynamics and take a conscious look at our own prejudices and attributions. The workshop invites participants to contribute experiences from their own practice and to jointly develop possible courses of action for a respectful, inclusive team culture.

We work with movement-oriented exercises, group work and reflection formats and create space for open exchange:

How does diversity influence our collaboration?

What does it take for all team members to be able to contribute their experiences?

Main topics:

• Interculturality & interreligiosity in everyday pedagogical life
• Diversity, values & communication in the team
• Team phases and cooperation according to Tuckman
• Prejudices, attributions & change of perspective
• Empathy, dialog & respectful cooperation

Katja Demir, Head of the eventus daycare center "Die Elstern"

Belgin Kaya, education management for quality development

4th workshop

"What the district can do - social space and networks as the key to culturally and religiously sensitive education"

What does our social space actually have to do with culturally and religiously sensitive education? Quite a lot! In this workshop, we will look together at the resources, people and networks that surround us - and how we can use them for our educational work. After a professional input on the basics of social space and networking, we will continue with a practical approach: together we will analyze social spaces, exchange experiences and develop ideas on how existing and new networks can be established, maintained and used sensibly for culturally and religiously sensitive pedagogy. The results will be discussed in plenary and supplemented with helpful tips, suggestions and examples from practice. The workshop offers space to think, talk and collect concrete ideas for everyday daycare.

Ikhlas Iraqi, daycare center manager of the eventus daycare center "Eisvögel"

Christine Klarer, consultant for culturally and religiously sensitive education at eventus Bildung

The symposium is sponsored by Paritätischer Wohlfahrtsverband LV Berlin e. V.
The event is supported by Deutscher Kitaverband Bundesverband freier unabhängiger Träger von Kindertagesstätten e.V. and House of One.

Price information:

With workshop participation or without workshop participation