Fifty shades of Green
Alexandria – Egypt Summer 2017, I was sitting at home trying to answer an important question on my International Parliamentary Scholarship (IPS) application: which German party do you want to visit for a week?
The Greens played an important role in the opposition, they have left political views that are not extreme and share many values I believe in like: protecting the environment, fighting for gender equality and respecting all human beings equally without looking at their differences. That is why I put them as my first preference in the application.
Fall 2017, I finally arrived at the Green party office in Oldenburg – Germany filled with hope, questions and skepticism of course. How are they going to apply all these great ideas and values in reality? Do they practice what they preach or are their plans just ink on paper?
What you see is what you get
Mit Bassent im E-Auto lautlos und emissionsfrei im Wahlkampf unterwegs.
From the moment I met the Green Party campaign team in Oldenburg I realized their not just employees doing a great job with little resources, compared to the other parties. They are living every word written in their program.
From the smallest details like not using any plastic cups at the office or using bio products to using renewable energy at home or choosing bikes or public transportation over cars. Peter Meiwald, the Greens candidate in Oldenburg for the parliament elections 2017, insisted on driving a small electric car during his campaign to encourage a small local manufacturer.
They made me feel welcomed and included in all the activities I attended this week despite our different backgrounds. I experienced their respect for minorities and the human rights whether in our personal small talk and uncalculated gestures they made every day or during official election debates where they took a clear stand against extreme right parties and their racist and discriminating statements.
Green not just a color
Die GRÜNE Spitzenkandidatin begrüßt Bassent Abdelwahab, Internationale Parlament- Stipendiatin, die in meinem Wahlkreisbüro ein einwöchiges Praktikum absolvierte.
Now that the week is almost gone I can feel its effect on me already. Green was always one of my favorite colors and reminded me of the trees and the environment. But now whenever I look at the color green I see much more. I see a color that welcomes all the different shapes and shades, puts more value on humanity and environment and less on race, gender, nationality or religion and fights for the rights of those who cannot make their voices heard or do not have the power.
Green is not just a color it is a way of life and in my opinion our only way forward if we want to secure a livable, loving and safe world for the next generations.
Kuppelgicker-Film "Applaus für Felix" angucken.
