Thursday, 21 November
Neukölln inaugurates Berlin’s first memorial to anti-colonial resistance
On November 14, Neukölln’s decolonial memorial, called the ‘EarthNest’, was ceremoniously inaugurated in front of the Berlin Global Village in Neukölln.
Berlin’s first memorial site that focuses on decolonial resistance, the artwork, created by The Lockward Collective, was primarily intended to honour the peoples and territories that suffered under colonial rule and to help heal the wounds of the past. Designed as a transparent dome of thin, orange metal beams, the installation is intended to invite reflection on the enduring legacy of colonialism, its ongoing consequences and the resilience of those who resisted it.
The memorial has been permanently accessible since November 15, marking the anniversary of the infamous Berlin Conference of 1884, where European colonial powers divided up the African continent. Now open to the public, ‘EarthNest’ aims to create dialogue about the continuing effects of colonial history.
Cultural leaders, including Claudia Roth, Germany’s Minister of State for Culture, praised the memorial as a major step in transforming the city’s public spaces into platforms for historical accountability and decolonial thought. Akinola Famson, a representative of the Berlin Global Village described ‘Earthnest’ as a “living memorial”.
