On September 9, a cheerful, colorful Buddy Bear was unveiled at Berlin's Goerz-Höfe. This bear, created on the initiative of the Becker & Kries Family Foundation, tells not just one, but many, very special stories. For the first time in 20 years, homeless people took brush and paint palette in their hands and painted the 2m sculpture with motifs that tell of their lives. The art workshop was directed by artist Andrej Wolff on the ground of the Berliner Stadtmission. The bear shows small scenes about Berlin and the City Mission, about wishes, about hope. The ChancengeBär (the name is a pun of the German words for opportunity giver and bear) shines in bright colors – full of optimism. The painting was a special experience for the guests of the City Mission, which did not only cause joy, but also brought the most diverse people into conversation with each other.
Stefanie Frensch, CEO of Becker & Kries, said of the joint project: "For us, social commitment is an important part of what we do, which is why we have been cooperating with the Berliner Stadtmission for years. We are very pleased that, on the occasion of our 75th anniversary, guests from the Berliner Stadtmission have designed the ChancengeBär for us on the theme of 'Living Spaces in Berlin'. It is intended to draw attention to the different living situations of people in our city and to contribute to raising awareness about homelessness."
We from Buddy Bear Berlin are happy that we were allowed to be part of this great inclusion project and that the Goerz-Höfe in Friedenau get a shining, new "resident" with this colorful bear.